


Stars Unaligned

by HanniMikkelsen



Series: SpaceDogs 'Verse [2]
Category: Adam (2009), Charlie Countryman (2013), MaDancy - Fandom, Spacedogs - Fandom
Genre: Adam likes it, Arguing, Couple Makeup, Dating, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Love Confessions, M/M, Mild Angst, Nigel can be a jerk when sad, Post-Break Up, Stress Eating, Stubborn Nigel, Weight Gain, daddy tummy, love handles, this is when Nigel starts to get chubby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-06-29
Packaged: 2018-09-23 15:47:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 21,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9664106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HanniMikkelsen/pseuds/HanniMikkelsen
Summary: Nigel & Adam attempt to deal with life separately in the wake of their recent break-up.





	1. Down in the Dumps

**Author's Note:**

> *This is a sequel to [Not Good For You](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9265100/chapters/20998721).*

The first week was tough.

Nigel felt as though he were in a fog the entire time. He went through the motions – eating, sleeping, eating, working, eating, sleeping, eating, working, eating – for seven days. He didn’t feel up to doing anything, and all he could think about was Adam.

How much he cared for Adam. How much he missed Adam. How hurt he was that Adam had evidently moved on so quickly.

He tried not to think about that. Just because some girl was at his apartment super early in the morning didn’t mean anything. It didn’t mean they were dating. Or sleeping together. Or doing anything other than hanging out. That’s what he told himself anyway. And reminded himself that he had sought comfort in a platonic friend after the breakup too.

Nigel wasn’t entirely sure who the woman had been. Neither Nigel nor Adam had a large group of friends, but while Adam had met most of Nigel’s, Nigel hadn’t met Adam’s. He knew of one woman Adam had spent time with. Some girl from work. Nigel had always been convinced that she had a thing for Adam. He had never met her in person, but Adam had told him things about when they hung out. Mostly, Nigel had asked very specific questions that Adam had answered honestly – about how dressed up she was when they’d hang out or if she complimented him a lot or if she made physical contact with him while they were together – most likely not understanding the implications of what those things meant.

But Nigel knew. He knew what it meant when a woman primped and dressed up. And he knew what it meant when she complimented – _flirted_ – with a man. And he definitely knew what it meant when a woman used any excuse to touch him, no matter how small or seemingly meaningless that touch might be.

He had been only the slightest bit jealous because Adam hadn’t seemed interested in her in that way. But they had since broken up. And Adam had since had an attractive woman over at his apartment. And Nigel hoped that it wasn’t her.

But he couldn’t do anything about it, even if it _was_ her. Adam had moved on. That’s what hurt Nigel the most. How _quickly_ he had moved on, if that was, indeed, what he had done. He wasn’t sure. And that killed him as well. The not knowing. The wondering. The hoping that Adam hadn’t moved on and that he would want to get back together.

Nigel hadn’t spoken to Adam since they had broken up. He didn’t know what he would say, and he sure as hell didn’t want to hear that Adam had moved on. He wasn’t sure he could take that. At least, not yet.

So Nigel spent the first week going about his everyday routine. He did the same thing day in and day out without much variation. He went to bed early every night, and tried to let himself sleep in later than normal every morning. He figured the more he slept, the less time he had to think about Adam. And to miss him.

The second week wasn’t much better. But while he had spent the majority of the first week alone, as he preferred to – stuffing his face with various comfort foods – he spent the first couple days of the second week with Marty. He had fleeting thoughts that he was driving Marty nuts, but Marty never seemed bothered by him. In fact, after the first three days, Nigel tried to give him some space, but Marty would show up at his apartment, unannounced, to check up on Nigel.

And when he came by in the middle of the week, he looked at Nigel with an expression he hadn’t seen directed at him by too many people in his entire life.

“I’m worried about you.”

“I’m fine,” Nigel muttered.

Marty stepped inside and closed the door. Nigel turned and walked to the couch and plopped down. It was Wednesday evening. He hadn’t gotten dressed all week, and he had no desire to. He wore the same boxers and t-shirt he had been in since Sunday.

“Have you showered?” Marty asked.

“No.”

“In how long?”

Nigel shrugged. “Few days, probably.”

Marty took a seat in a chair nearby. His eyes scanned the living room. Nigel followed his gaze to the coffee table that was covered in beer bottles and water bottles and used plates and empty chip bags.

Nigel was under no delusions about his current state. He felt like shit. He didn’t feel like taking care of himself. And he sure as hell didn’t feel like cleaning.

“Have you eaten recently?” Marty asked, turning back to him.

Nigel nodded. “Polished off that bag of chips.”

“Anything else?”

“Finished the box of doughnuts I picked up on my way to work a couple days ago.”

Marty’s smile was small as he said, “Anything substantial?”

“Not really.”

“I want you to come out with me.”

Nigel furrowed his brow. “Why?”

“Because you need to get out.”

“No. What I need is…” Nigel stopped and sighed. What he needed was _Adam_. He scrubbed his hands over his face.

“You need to take care of yourself.”

Nigel dropped his hands to his lap and looked at Marty. He felt his eyes narrowing. “Did you really just come over here to nag me?”

Marty smiled gently. “I came over to check on you.”

“And so you have.”

“And so I don’t like what I’m seeing,” Marty said, not backing down.

Nigel wasn’t used to that. He had gotten more used to it over the past few months that he had known Marty, but before that, very few people had ever challenged Nigel.

“What the fuck am I supposed to do? What would make you happy, Marty?”

“For starters, taking a shower would be nice.”

“I don’t feel like taking a shower. Next.”

Marty smirked. “Eating a proper meal.”

“That would require cooking.”

“You know how to do that.”

“I don’t feel like doing that. Next.”

“Nigel, I know this is tough.”

“Okay, if you’re going to pull this heart-to-heart bullshit, you can leave.”

“I know you’re upset—”

“Really?” Nigel rolled his eyes. “How could you tell?” He knew he was being a prick, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself.

“I know you want me to leave, but acting like an asshole just makes me worry about you more.”

“So, now I’m an asshole.”

“Nope,” Marty said casually, leaning back in the chair. “I said ‘acting like’ one.”

Nigel set his jaw, somewhat annoyed that he wasn’t pissing Marty off. “We both know I’m an asshole.”

Marty smirked. “You’re the only one who thinks that.”

“Not the only one. Apparently Adam thinks so too.”

“Adam doesn’t think so.”

“Why the hell did he break up with me then?”

“If I recall correctly, _you_ broke up with _him_.”

“Not like he cares.”

“Nigel.”

“What? He’s off fucking some woman now.”

Marty shook his head.

“What?”

“You’re in such a bad place.”

“No fucking kidding.”

“I wish you’d let me help you.”

Nigel sighed and rested his head back against the couch. He couldn’t think of anything that _would_ help him at the moment. Nothing but Adam coming back to him. “You could bring Adam back to me.”

“Why don’t you go talk to him?”

Nigel smirked. “Right.” Marty said nothing, and Nigel looked over at him. Marty’s eyebrows were lifted. “You can’t be fucking serious.”

“Why? You want him back. So, go try to get him back.”

“He’s already moved on.”

“How do you know that?”

“He was with some woman.”

“What were they doing?”

“I don’t know,” Nigel said. “But she went inside his apartment.”

“Right,” Marty said. He had already heard the story from Nigel. “That’s all you saw. His friend visiting him.”

“She wants to be more than his friend.”

“That doesn’t mean shit, man.”

“It means they’re probably off fucking somewhere right now.”

“Nigel, you need to get off your ass and go talk to him.”

“No.” Nigel looked around the room at the empty food wrappers and containers. “I need some cake or brownies or something.”

Marty shook his head. “I know you’re afraid of—”

“I’m not fucking afraid.”

“Sure you are. That’s why you won’t talk to him. You’re scared that he won’t want to get back together.”

“Well, he might not.”

“But you don’t know that. And the longer you wait, the more likely it is that that idea will become a reality.”

Nigel’s stomach was beginning to hurt. He didn’t want to think about that. He didn’t want to think about Adam moving on or forgetting about him. He couldn’t take it.

“I think you should go.”

“Nigel.”

“I don’t want to fucking talk about it. I didn’t fucking ask you to come over here. I don’t need your help or your advice. And I sure as hell don’t fucking _want_ it.”

Marty looked at Nigel. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t make a move to leave either.

“Get the fuck out.”

Marty stared at him for a few moments and then nodded. He got to his feet. As he crossed the floor, Nigel began to feel like shit. He hadn’t meant any of it, but he couldn’t bring himself to admit it. And as Marty reached the door, Nigel didn’t stop him. Marty left the apartment without another word and Nigel burrowed into the couch cushions, trying to force the kind of sleep that would wash the shit day from his mind.


	2. Eta Aquarids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam receives an unexpected guest and an even more unexpected proposition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Happy Valentine's Day! My gift to all you lovelies is a brand new chapter! <333)

A week and a half had passed since Nigel had broken up with Adam. Adam had felt weird every single day since, not sure exactly what the feelings were. He assumed they had everything to do with the breakup, and he didn’t like the way he felt. It was as though he had lost interest in most things that made him happy. He hadn’t eaten much, and he found himself sleeping more than usual. He’d go to bed early and wake up late, only to roll over and want to go back to sleep. He was late to work more than once the first week.

His stomach growled often and while he didn’t have much of an appetite, he thought it a good idea to eat anyway. He knew he was hungry despite not feeling that way. It was Wednesday evening and he was in the kitchen. He stood behind the stove with two eggs broken into a skillet in front of him – he had always enjoyed having breakfast food for dinner. He scrambled the eggs with a plastic spatula, wishing he had paid more attention to how Nigel had cooked eggs.

Adam knew he had put some kind of spices into them. And possibly cheese. He left the eggs to cook while he went to a cabinet. He found a few jars of spices he didn’t know he had – Nigel had probably put them there – but he wasn’t sure which ones to use. Afraid of messing up the eggs, he closed the cabinet without retrieving any spices. Then, he went to the refrigerator. He found a package of shredded cheese and pulled it out. He returned to the stove and sprinkled some of the cheese into the eggs, hoping he got the amount right. For a split second, he thought of calling Nigel to ask him how he made their eggs, but then it all hit him all over again.

Adam felt his eyes begin to burn and he sighed. He couldn’t ask Nigel anything anymore. He sniffled and squeezed his eyes shut, hoping the tears would dry. After a few deep breaths, he re-opened his eyes and sighed again. Then, he returned the cheese package to the refrigerator and retrieved a plate from a cabinet.

He finished with the eggs and took the skillet off the burner, shutting off the stove. He plated the eggs, grabbed a fork, and took them to the dining room table. Without thinking about it, he sat in the chair Nigel typically used. He wasn’t sure if it was to feel closer to Nigel or so he wouldn’t have to look at Nigel’s empty chair as he ate.

He consumed the eggs at a reasonable pace, absently stabbing the lumps and putting them in his mouth as he stared down at the wooden tabletop. He hadn’t even realized that he was nearly finished until his fork scraped against the plate. He looked down and saw that the eggs were gone. Feeling full but not really any better than he had before he ate, he took his plate into the kitchen and washed it. Then, he downed a glass of orange juice and went to the living room where he settled into the couch. He had no plans for the evening. Just as he had had no plans – except work – for the past week and a half.

He had spoken with his mother on the phone, and she had invited him to visit her upstate for the weekend, but he had declined. She had seemed pushier than normal, and he wondered if something was wrong, but she insisted that she just wanted to make sure that he was okay. He said he was fine – a small fib he had regretted later – and she had eventually let it go.

But she had called him every evening since to talk. The two of them spoke on the phone frequently, but he generally called her as much as she called him. Now, he didn’t even have a chance to call her after work – or settle in, really – before his phone rang. He didn’t mind. He liked talking with his mother. But he didn’t know what to say. She made it very clear that she wanted to make sure he was okay after the breakup, and while he didn’t feel okay, he didn’t want to say that to her. And realizing that a lot of his conversations with his mother over the past few months had mostly consisted of talking about Nigel and his relationship, he suddenly felt himself unsure of what to say.

Adam would talk about work or science or what he had had for lunch that day, in an attempt to avoid talking about the one thing that he couldn’t get off his mind. His mother seemed content to discuss those things with him, however, even if she didn’t seem to understand some of them.

But he had refused to visit. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see his mother, but he simply didn’t feel up to it. He was tired and sad and while his mother certainly meant well, he knew how she got when he was upset. And he wasn’t sure he could take any sort of good-intentioned hovering. So he had opted to stay at home alone for the weekend. And now that it was mid-week, he didn’t have to worry about disappointing her, but he wondered if she would invite him to visit once the weekend rolled around again.

However, his desire to spend his time alone was cut short after dinner when there was a knock at the door. Adam sat up on the couch and looked towards the door. He wasn’t expecting company, and his mind raced with the possibilities of who it could be.

Had his mother decided to come visit him instead? Adam chewed his lip. He wasn’t prepared for that.

Was it Nigel, coming to talk or make up or find a way to get back together again? He very much wanted to get back together but wasn’t sure he was prepared for that either. At least, not in the logical sense – he hadn’t yet come up with a way to make that happen.

Or was it someone else?

Adam debated about ignoring it, not sure he felt up to dealing with anyone at the moment. But his mind kept screaming at him that it might be Nigel. And that he would regret not opening the door if that were the case. So he got to his feet. But when he answered the door, he was surprised to see Charlotte instead.

“Oh,” Adam uttered. “Hi.”

Charlotte smiled. “Hey, Adam. Sorry to just drop by.”

Adam waited for her to continue. He thought maybe she’d give a reason, but when she didn’t, he lifted his eyebrows. “Okay. Why did you?”

“Honestly?” She smiled an odd smile. A crooked smile that reminded him of the smile Nigel gave when he was pretending to be shy. Sheepish. “I wanted to check on you.”

“Check on me,” he repeated, furrowing his brow.

“Yes. You were so upset the other day when I came to see you. I just wanted to see if you were all right.”

“Oh.” Adam frowned. He wasn’t all right. He was certainly better – at least outwardly, he thought – than he had been the last time Charlotte was at his apartment, but he didn’t feel all right. He wasn’t sure what to say.

“I just thought you might want some company.” Then, she quickly added, “We don’t have to go anywhere or even talk if you don’t want to. But…sometimes it’s nice to have someone around, just in case.”

“Just in case,” he repeated, not sure what she meant by that. But he liked the idea of not having to talk. Of course, he didn’t have to talk if she wasn’t there either, but he had an odd feeling in his stomach like saying that might be rude. Instead, he forced a small smile and said, “Okay.” Then, he opened the door more and stepped aside.

Charlotte walked in, clutching the strap of the messenger bag. Adam closed the door and then invited her to join him in the living room. She sat on the couch, and he took a seat beside her. She pulled her bag off over her head and set it down beside the couch.

Adam sat back and rested his hands in his lap. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her looking at him. He suddenly wished he hadn’t sat down right beside her.

“Did you eat?” she asked.

“I did.”

“Good.”

Silence.

Adam cleared his throat and then picked at a hangnail. It wasn’t the kind of silence that he and Nigel had always been able to share. Their silences had been comfortable. Not at all awkward.

“Did…did you want something to eat?”

“No,” she said. “I just wanted to make sure you had eaten.”

“Oh.” Pause. “Well, I did.”

Charlotte let out a small puff of air. Adam glanced at her and realized she was laughing quietly, almost silently.

“What?” Adam asked.

“Nothing. Just…this is awkward, right?”

Adam let out the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. “Yes.” Somehow speaking it aloud made him feel less awkward.

“I can go if you like.”

“No,” he urged, surprised by how quickly he had responded.

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

“It’s okay,” Adam said. “I just wasn’t expecting anyone.”

She nodded. “I knew I should have called.”

“It’s okay,” he repeated.

There was a short silence and then she turned on the couch to face him, tucking one leg under the other. He glanced down at her foot and saw that her shoe was neatly off the edge of the couch. He smiled gently.

“So, how excited are you about the meteor shower?”

Adam felt his shoulders relax, and he smiled again. “It is supposed to be one of the brightest meteor showers from Eta Aquarids in more than fifty years.”

“I was thinking,” she started. She crooked one elbow against the back of the couch and leaned her cheek on her hand. A lock of her wispy bangs swept down to her eye. She tossed her head a little to move it. “Would you want to go with me to watch it on Saturday?”

Adam’s stomach tightened. Several thoughts flooded his mind at once. It wasn’t the idea of going with Charlotte that made him uncomfortable but rather the memory of the last time he had shared such a celestial event with someone. He found himself missing how forward and bold Nigel had been that day, when he had practically invited himself along when Adam mentioned going to observe the penumbral lunar eclipse. Adam had been so caught off guard at the time that he had simply agreed.

But going with Nigel was no longer an option. And he wanted to see the meteor shower. And he liked hanging out with Charlotte. So he didn’t see any reason not to.

“Yes,” he finally agreed.

“Great,” she said. She shifted in her seat again and tucked the right side of her hair behind her ear. Then, she smiled and said, “How about we get dinner first? And then we can find a place to watch.”

“Okay.”

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then, she smiled and said, “Wonderful.”


	3. Makeup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nigel decides to talk to Marty a couple days after being a jerk to him.

Two weeks had passed since the breakup. Or at least, since the party that had led to the breakup. Two long, torturous weeks. And Nigel didn’t feel any better. In fact, after the way he had treated Marty a couple days earlier, he felt worse. Much worse. Now, not only did he not have Adam in his life, but he didn’t have his best friend either.

Marty hadn’t visited again. And he hadn’t called. Nigel would have assumed he was pissed, but Marty had always been understanding. Surprisingly understanding. Most likely he was just giving Nigel some space to calm down.

And to stop being an asshole.

Reliving how badly he had treated Marty, Nigel felt a wave of sadness wash over him. He pushed himself up off the couch and went to the kitchen. He rummaged around the refrigerator and freezer and cabinets, until he found a nearly full package of cookies in a drawer. He tested one for freshness and, satisfied, took the entire package to the living room with him. He plopped down on the couch and began to stuff his face with chocolate chip goodness.

He thought back to months earlier. The months before he had met Adam. When he had first arrived in the States and had been so determined to change his ways. He forgot what that was like – to want to change simply for himself. He had felt so shitty the past couple of weeks that it was difficult for him to hold on to his reasons for wanting to become a better person.

Then, he thought back to his time before he had come to New York. His time in Romania when he hadn’t been a good person. When he hadn’t cared about being a good person at all. His stomach began to hurt at the thought of the life he had led before. And he knew he couldn’t go back to that. No matter what happened with Adam in the future, he had left Romania for a reason. He hadn’t even known Adam then and had decided to change on his own. For himself. Even if he never got Adam back, he had to remember that.

Nigel reached for another cookie and found that the package was empty. He had been absently stuffing cookies into his face and hadn’t realized how quickly they were dwindling. Nigel tossed the empty package onto the coffee table and sat back, feeling a dull ache in his stomach. He put a hand to it over his t-shirt, noticing how much softer it felt than just two weeks earlier. He pulled up the hem of his shirt, eyeing the small roll that had formed over his waistband.

“Shit,” he muttered, pinching the flesh between his thumb and forefinger. He was surprised by how quickly he had put on weight. He probably shouldn’t have been, though, given the amount of food he had eaten in such a short time frame. Nigel tugged the shirt down.

He wanted to go into the kitchen and find something else to satisfy his craving. To take the edge off the pain he was feeling. Being apart from Adam was excruciating. And he had only added to it by being a dick to Marty. He didn’t know if he could fix things with Adam, but he wasn’t ready to lose his best friend too.

Determined to embrace his quest to be a better person, he decided that he should talk to Marty. He glanced at his phone but then thought better of it. He got to his feet, planning to go talk to Marty in person.

Nigel went to the bedroom and shed the clothes he had worn the past couple of days. He found clean boxers and then rummaged in his drawer for a pair of jeans. He pulled them on, only slightly surprised when the denim felt snug around his ass. He noticed his stomach had softened a bit and he had to suck it in slightly in order to button his pants. When they were fastened, the waistband dug into the extra flesh on his belly, forcing a small bulge to form over the top. He was used to his stomach being somewhat soft, but the pudge was certainly new. He found a shirt and pulled it on and then headed out.

When Nigel reached Marty’s apartment, he hesitated in front of the door. He lifted his hand to knock but then dropped it to his side again.

_What if Marty was pissed at him? Nigel_ had _been a jerk after all._

Nigel sighed. He stared at the door for a few moments and then lifted his hand again. He forced himself to knock gently, partially hoping that Marty wasn’t home or that he had knocked softly enough so that he wouldn’t hear it. But when no one answered the door, Nigel felt disappointed. He wondered, for the smallest of split seconds, if Marty had seen him through the peephole and decided not to answer. But he knew that didn’t sound like Marty at all.

Assuming his best friend wasn’t home, he turned and headed back down the hall towards the stairwell. Before he reached the door, it swung inward and Marty appeared on the other side, a grocery bag in his arms.

Nigel stopped in his tracks. “Hey.”

Marty slowed, quickly looking Nigel over. “Hey, Nigel. Come to see me?”

“No,” Nigel said, his typical sarcasm coming to the forefront. “I just enjoy hanging around in hallways of apartment buildings I don’t live in.”

A slow smile spread across Marty’s face. “Smartass. Nice. You sound more like yourself today.”

Nigel offered a small smile. He wasn’t sure how to begin.

“Want to come inside?” Marty asked, letting Nigel off the hook.

Nigel nodded. “Yeah, if that’s all right.”

Marty smiled. “Of course.” He waved a hand. “After you.”

Nigel turned and walked back to Marty’s door. He stood to the side as Marty unlocked and opened it. Then, he followed Marty inside and closed the door behind him.

“Are you doing all right?” Marty asked.

“Yeah.”

Marty looked him over and nodded. “I’ve got some shit in here I need to put away.”

“Okay.” Nigel followed Marty to the kitchen and leaned against the end of the counter, his hands spread wide against the edge of the countertop.

Marty set the grocery bag down and began unloading it. Nigel watched as he moved around the kitchen, putting everything away. It wasn’t until Marty had finished, and was folding up the brown paper grocery bag, that either of them spoke.

“I’m fucking sorry, man,” Nigel whispered.

Marty looked at him and nodded, smiling gently. “I know.”

“Does that mean…”

Marty lifted his eyebrows and waited a few moments before he said, “That you’re forgiven?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

Nigel let out a heavy sigh. “I was really a dick to you.”

“Yeah, you were.” Marty smirked and shrugged. “But you feel like shit. It’s all right.”

“It’s not all right.” Nigel stared down at the countertop, finding it easier to look at than Marty. “You’ve been fucking great to me, and I—”

“Okay, stop.” Marty walked towards him and then put a comforting hand on Nigel’s shoulder. “Yes, you feel like shit. Yes, you said some asshole-ish things to me. But we’re friends. We both know you didn’t mean that stuff. And I have already forgiven you, so quit beating yourself up about it.”

Nigel nodded. He took a deep breath and then mustered the courage to meet Marty’s gaze. “Thank you.”

Marty smiled. “No problem.” He gave Nigel’s shoulder a gentle squeeze and let go.

“Care for a drink? Water, maybe?”

Nigel smirked. “Why water?”

An impish smile spread across Marty’s face. “I assume you’ve had more than enough alcohol lately.”

Nigel snorted and put a hand to his stomach, feeling the newly added softness. “What gave it away?” he asked, patting lightly.

Marty laughed softly. “I was referring more to the scores of beer bottles scattered around your apartment the last time I was there.”

“The scores, huh?”

“Not so much the gut you’ve put on.”

Nigel smirked.

Marty grinned widely and winked.

“I guess I’ll take that water, then.”

Marty chuckled. “Coming right up.”

Marty got both of them a bottle of water, and then they relocated to the living room. Nigel sat down on the couch and uncapped his bottle, taking a swig.

“So, are you actually feeling any better?” Marty asked.

Nigel closed the bottle and shrugged. He wasn’t feeling great. Any time he thought about his situation and the fact that he was no longer in a relationship with Adam, it made him sick to his stomach. However, he had been able to get dressed and go out for something other than work, for the first time in several days, and that seemed to be a good sign.

“Well, you look slightly better.”

Nigel smirked. “I'm not sure I _feel_ a whole lot better, though, you know?"

"Yeah, I get that. I know how hard break-ups can be."

"It fucking sucks, man." Nigel sighed. He picked at the label on his water bottle. "And every time I think about it. Every time I think about _him_ \--"

"Yeah, I know."

Nigel shook his head and looked at Marty. "Does it get any easier?"

Marty smiled gently. It was a small smile, one Nigel assumed was meant to comfort or encourage him. "Yes."

"Honestly? Because it sure as hell doesn't feel like it's going to get any better."

"I know. Heartbreak is tough."

"No fucking kidding, man." Nigel sighed again. "I mean, I've been through some shit. In my old life, things weren't easy, you know?"

Marty nodded. He knew some of Nigel's history but not everything. Not like what Adam knew. Adam knew it all. Adam knew everything about Nigel, about his past and history, things he had done that he wasn't proud of, things he hoped to never do again. Nigel wasn't sure he'd ever find that anywhere else again. And then his stomach began to hurt all over again.

“But it never felt quite like this,” he whispered.

"I promise, man." Marty said. "It will absolutely get better for you. I promise."

"I hope so. I'm not sure I can take much more of this."

"Yeah, I know. But hey, getting dressed was a great start. And even better than that, you got out of the house. This is progress. You will feel much better before long, and this will all just be a shitty memory."

"I hope you're right."

"I am. And hey, why don't we make plans to go do something."

"Like what?"

"Like get out of the house. Like go out and do something to get your mind off of everything and to try to start healing again."

"I guess, maybe. We could probably do that."

"When would you like to go?"

"I don't know. I'm not sure how much I really feel like doing to be honest."

"Well, why don't we just go out and get something to eat one night? I mean, we both need to eat, right?"

"I sure as hell do." Nigel smirked.

Marty chuckled softly. "Great. Then we'll go get some dinner."

Nigel nodded. He supposed he could do that. It seemed harmless enough. He didn't feel like doing a whole lot, and as Marty had said, he needed to eat anyway. He sure as hell wasn't going to forgo food. He nodded. "Yeah, that sounds okay."

"Great. When would you like to go?"

"Whenever."

"How about tomorrow night?"

"Tomorrow? So soon?"

"No time like the present, right? Or the very near future anyway."

Nigel smiled gently. "I guess not."

"Great. How about I come by your place, and then we can go from there?"

"Sure, man. What time?"

"How about seven?”

“Sounds perfect.” Nigel took another sip from his bottle and then leaned forward to set it down on the table. “Now we just have to figure out where to go.”

A slow smile crept across Marty’s face. “Well, you seem to be the one with quite the appetite lately.”

Nigel smirked. “Yeah, I had some trouble getting my pants fastened today.”

Marty shook his head and chuckled. “I’ll let you decide, then.”


	4. Unexpected Sighting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam and Charlotte go out to dinner with unexpected results.

It was Saturday night, and Adam was getting ready to meet up with Charlotte for the evening. He had let her plan the evening since she had been the one to invite him in the first place. When she arrived, she mentioned having chosen a local Asian fusion place a short subway ride from their neighborhood. And Adam couldn't help but think about how close it was to Nigel's place. He wondered if she would know that and then assumed she wouldn't. She had never before met Nigel and, even if she _had_ met Nigel before, he didn’t know why she would choose a place close to his apartment. Adam put it out of his head.

They went to the restaurant and were seated immediately. They looked over their menus and Adam wasn't sure what to get.

"What's good here?"

"Oh, everything's good," she said.

Adam frowned. That hadn't been very helpful. He thought about Nigel. About how Nigel always had a suggestion for food. But, then again, Nigel liked to eat. And he'd try anything. Just about, anyway. Things Adam would turn his nose up at because they looked gross or sounded gross. Nigel had no problem eating any of them. He would just pop it into his mouth and swallow it down. Even if he didn't end up liking it, he would say that he was glad for trying it. Adam had always liked that about him. And he always liked how Nigel had suggestions for what kinds of foods he thought Adam would like as well.

When the server returned to the table, Adam ordered the plainest dish of chicken, rice, and broccoli that he could find on the menu. The waiter left them again, and Adam suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable. He had no menu to hide behind, and no matter how he moved, his arms and hands felt awkward.

“Are you okay?” Charlotte asked after Adam had shifted in his seat half a dozen times.

Adam nodded. “I think so.” He wasn’t entirely sure, but he stared down at the tabletop and focused on his breathing.

“It’s all right,” Charlotte said gently. “Take your time. And if you want to leave, just let me know.”

“Okay,” Adam whispered. She didn’t know everything about his episodes or what he went through. But she knew some. Enough so that he didn’t feel odd around her. But he didn’t necessarily feel comfortable either. He knew that if things became too overwhelming, she wouldn’t be able to calm him down. Unlike Nigel, who could turn him away from everything and everyone around them and wrap him in his big, strong arms and rub his back and whisper that he was okay and to just breathe. No, Charlotte wouldn’t be able to do that. For one thing, Adam was taller than her. It wouldn’t physically be possible. But most importantly, she wasn’t Nigel.

“Would going outside help?” she asked.

“Maybe,” he said gently. “But if I go outside, I may not come back in.”

“That’s all right. Maybe we could switch to an outdoor table instead. It’s a nice night out.”

Adam looked up at her. She wore a gentle smile, and he didn’t think she looked put out in the slightest.

“Okay,” he said.

She nodded and then flagged down their server. She asked him if it would be possible for them to switch to an outdoor table. The server said it would be no problem and then asked them to follow him as they got up and walked through the restaurant. They went out the front to the outdoor seating area and the server seated them at a table near the street. 

“Take your pick,” Charlotte said, standing near the edge of the table.

Adam chewed his lip and then chose the seat facing the street. He thought that seeing as few people as possible would be the best bet. He didn’t mind looking at cars or people passing by on the sidewalks.

“Great,” Charlotte said. She sat down across from him at the small table and smiled. “Is this better?”

“Yes,” Adam said, suddenly grateful that she had suggested it. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

They sat and talked for several minutes before the waiter brought their food. Then, the conversation lessened slightly as they ate. Charlotte carried the majority of it as Adam focused most of his attention on the chicken, rice, and broccoli on his plate.

When they had both finished eating, the server took their plates and offered dessert. Adam was full. His stomach was uncomfortable and he felt that, in an effort to settle his nerves by focusing on his food, he had eaten too much. He smiled to himself, thinking that Nigel would tell him how proud he was of that.

“I don’t think I need any,” Adam said.

He looked up to see Charlotte’s expression change. He wasn’t sure what it meant.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing.” She smiled gently, but it looked different than her smile from before.

Adam frowned. The only thing that had happened before the change in expression was his refusal of dessert. “Um, did you want dessert?”

“No, it’s okay.” She chuckled and waved a hand. “I probably shouldn’t anyway.”

“Shouldn’t?” he repeated. He shook his head. “If you want dessert, get it.”

Her normal smile returned, a hint of pink creeping into her cheeks. “Okay,” she said softly. She ordered dessert and when it came, she offered Adam some.

“No, thanks,” he said.

“Are you sure? I don’t think I can eat all of this on my own.”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to.” Adam’s thoughts flitted to Nigel again. To how much the man could eat. To how he would order appetizers and a salad and an entrée and dessert and still be open to stopping at a food truck on the way home and getting a snack before settling in on the couch. But Nigel had always been very active in the few months that Adam had known him, and the older man had successfully managed to keep all of those calories from settling on his body.

“They _did_ bring two forks, you know.” Charlotte grinned.

Adam returned his attention to Charlotte who daintily nibbled at the small amount of dessert on her fork.

“I guess I could try it,” Adam said. He picked up the second fork and got a bite. His stomach protested, and he only ate a couple of bites before he set the fork down again. He was afraid Charlotte would try to get him to eat more, and he was prepared to argue, but she didn’t. She seemed satisfied that he had tried a little bit of it.

When the check came, Adam grabbed it and fished his wallet out of his back pocket.

“How much do I owe?” she said, reaching for the bill.

“Nothing,” Adam said.

Charlotte smiled a strange smile. “Adam, you don’t need to pay for me.”

“It is the gentlemanly thing to do,” he said in a matter-of-fact way.

Charlotte laughed softly and then said, “Yes, it is.” She reached over and put her hand on his forearm.

Adam thought back to what Nigel had told him before. About how a woman will use any excuse to make physical contact if she likes a guy. _Was he right about that?_ He thought about the other things Nigel had told him. About how she’ll smile more – Charlotte was smiling very widely at the moment and had been for most of the evening. About how she’ll get all dolled up, as Nigel put it – Charlotte wore a light blue dress and her hair was pulled up in a way Adam hadn’t seen on her before. He supposed it could be considered “dolled up.”

Adam was a bit confused. According to Nigel, the signs pointed to Charlotte having feelings for Adam. But it wasn’t a date. They hadn’t expressed that it was a date. They had simply made plans to hang out together. So, why was she staring at him with a wide smile and a sparkle in her eyes? And why was she all dressed up? And why was she touching his arm as he paid for their meal?

Adam felt a frown coming on but tried to repress it. He had only decided to pay for their meal because his mother had always told him that it was the right thing to do when taking a woman out. He assumed his mom had been referring to _any time_ a man went out with a woman, even if she was just a friend.

But maybe that hadn’t been the case. Maybe his mom had meant when he took a woman out on a date. He looked into his wallet, pretending to count his cash. He wondered if he could change his mind about paying for both of them. He chewed his lip, pondering it.

But as he thought about telling Charlotte that he had changed his mind – that he had decided that she _should_ pay for herself – his stomach began to hurt. He wasn’t sure why, but he knew that he couldn’t do that. He shook the thought from his head and tried to stop overthinking the situation. He pulled out the cash he needed and tucked it into the check folder, setting it aside on the table.

“Thanks, Adam. This was really nice.”

Adam nodded. “You picked a nice restaurant.” He let his eyes wander around the outdoor seating area.

“Some friends from work and I come here sometimes,” she said. “I thought you might like it.”

Adam opened his mouth to speak, but then he saw something. Or rather, _someone_. Adam gasped quietly. There were two men across the seating area. They were standing at the street in front of a cab. There were other people standing and blocking his view, so Adam shifted in his seat to get a better look. But the first man slid into the cab before Adam could see his face. Then, the second man moved to get in the cab as well, but before he did, he turned back and looked directly at Adam.

_Nigel!_


	5. Getting Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nigel gets out of the house with Marty at the latter's insistence, but the night doesn't go entirely as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (This chapter basically runs parallel to the previous one... only from Nigel's POV.)

It was Saturday night. Marty had swung by Nigel's apartment, and they prepared to go out. Nigel had found a looser pair of jeans in the back of his dresser drawer and had pulled them on, feeling much better about the more relaxed fit around his waist.

“Your place looks a lot better,” Marty said when Nigel invited him in.

“Thanks. I was afraid of another lecture.” He smirked and looked at Marty.

Marty shook his head. “You know that wasn’t about the mess.”

“I know.”

“Great. So, where are we going tonight?”

“There’s this place nearby. Asian fusion or something.”

“Sounds good.”

“And on the plus side, we can walk there.”

Marty furrowed his brow. “Why is that the plus side?”

“I wasn’t really up to taking the subway anywhere. I kind of wanted to stay nearby.”

“Ah, I see.” Marty smirked.

“What was that?”

Marty chuckled. “Nothing.”

Nigel narrowed his eyes, eyeing Marty. “Right.”

Marty smiled sheepishly.

“I can actually _see_ those thoughts in your head. Shut the hell up.”

Marty laughed loudly.

“I know I could use the exercise. You don’t have to broadcast it.”

“I didn’t say a word!”

“Come on, jerk,” Nigel grumbled, pretending to be offended. “Let’s go.”

By the time the two of them got to the restaurant, Nigel was starving. He had eaten breakfast and lunch and a few snacks throughout the day, but something about having broken up with Adam and feeling utterly devastated had left him with a hearty appetite. He assumed it was just the need to _do_ something. Something to take his mind off the breakup. But he hadn’t felt much like doing anything at all, so eating had become his way of coping.

He wondered how Adam was coping.

He doubted the puppy was eating his heartache away. Adam had always been a bit particular about food, and he rarely ever stuffed himself. At least, as far as Nigel knew in the short amount of time that they had known each other. But he had seen a few pictures of a younger version of Adam in a photo album he had found in the office. He had had Adam show it to him after a little bit of begging, and Adam had been very thin in every single picture. He didn’t think that Adam would have been able to keep such a thin figure if he had ever let himself indulge like Nigel did.

The day had been warm, but the evening had cooled off significantly, especially for late May. Nigel tended to run warm, but he assumed it was the type of night that would make Adam want to snuggle up against Nigel’s side to keep warm. At least, when they had done that sort of thing. Nigel sighed, putting it out of his head.

“You all right?” Marty asked as they approached the restaurant.

“Yeah.”

The restaurant was busy, and the host led them outside. The outdoor seating area was packed full of people, and they were seated in a corner. Nigel sat with his back to the rest of the seating area, not wanting to run the risk of seeing happy couples out to dinner on date night. Marty sat across from him, and Nigel could feel his friend’s eyes on him.

“What?” Nigel asked.

“Nothing. You just have a look.”

Nigel sighed. He was uncomfortable, but he wasn’t sure why. “Yeah, I don’t know. Maybe it’s just because I haven’t been out much lately.” He shrugged.

“Maybe.” Marty paused and then asked, “Do you want to go?”

Nigel smirked. “After all your lectures about getting out of the apartment?”

Marty smiled. “I think you need to. But not if you’re miserable.”

“Well, I’m definitely miserable,” Nigel said. “But it has nothing to do with being out.”

Marty nodded slowly. “It’ll get easier.”

Nigel stared down at the closed menu on the table in front of him. He wanted to believe Marty. He wanted to believe that things would get better in time. That they wouldn’t always feel so horrible and painful. But he didn’t know how. In all honesty, he had never been heartbroken before. He had had numerous partners back home in Romania and had slept with more people than he cared to admit anymore, but he had never before felt like he had felt when he was with Adam.

And he certainly had never felt as shitty as he did _without_ Adam.

“I’m going to try to take your word for it,” Nigel said after several moments.

“Good. In time, it won’t hurt so damn much. I guarantee it.”

Nigel nodded. He didn’t want to talk about it anymore. He didn’t want to think it. About Adam and about the fact that he couldn’t talk to him or be around him anymore. He needed to let himself be distracted. He opened his menu and began to look over it. He saw Marty do the same.

They sat in silence for the next couple of minutes until the waiter appeared. Marty ordered first, and Nigel smirked at the small amount of food his friend ordered. He knew he should have felt a little bit embarrassed by the amount of food he rattled off to the waiter, but he didn’t care. Along with his entrée, he ordered a salad and an appetizer and an extra side, and then he made sure the waiter knew he would want dessert afterwards.

The waiter took their menus, and Nigel looked up to see Marty smirking at him.

“Shut up.”

Marty chuckled. “Again, I didn’t say a word.”

“It’s a nice distraction.”

Marty nodded. “A tasty one anyway.”

Nigel smiled. “Definitely. And if I ever start to feel better, maybe I’ll be more active. Enough to work it off, hopefully.”

Marty chuckled. “I’m just giving you a hard time, man.”

“I know.”

Nigel’s salad and appetizer arrived first. He offered Marty some of the later which he refused, and Nigel ate them both in record time. By the time their entrées arrived, Nigel already felt discomfort in his stomach. He knew he didn’t need anything more, but he didn’t care. He was just glad he had found a larger pair of pants in the back of his dresser.

Nigel finished his entrée first and put in his dessert order. Marty declined dessert and continued working on his dinner, taking his time. Nigel sat back in his chair, watching people walk by on the sidewalk. He couldn’t imagine that any of those people could be better for him than Adam. In fact, he couldn’t think of any traits they could have that _would_ make them better for him than Adam. Adam was perfect. And Adam was perfect _for Nigel_.

Nigel was snapped out of his trance when the waiter returned to the table with his dessert. It was in a large bowl which it completely filled. He looked up at Marty who had finished his dinner.

“Want some?”

“No, thanks, man. Go ahead.”

“Are you sure? I think there’s plenty.”

Marty smiled. “I’m sure.”

Nigel picked up a fork and got to work. He polished off the dessert and sat back again, resting a hand against his stomach which felt overstuffed.

“So, I think we should make plans to go out again,” Marty said, sitting back in his own chair.

“You asking me out?”

Marty smiled. “Maybe if I swung that way.”

Nigel snorted. “Well, what do you want to do?”

“Whatever you feel like. You know I just want to get you out of the apartment.”

Nigel nodded. “I advise something that doesn’t require much socializing with other people. I don’t think I’m a very pleasant person to be around at the moment.”

“You’re telling me,” Marty said with a grin.

Nigel smirked. “You really have no problem teasing the hell out of me when I’m down, do you?”

“Nope.”

“You’re such an ass,” Nigel said with a smile.

Marty chuckled. “If nothing else, it seems to distract you a bit.”

Nigel nodded. “It does. Thank you.”

“So do you want to get a couple meals to take home with you?”

Nigel smirked. “You joke, but don’t think I haven’t thought about it.”

“Oh, I wasn’t joking.” Marty grinned. “Maybe one to eat later tonight. One for tomorrow. One for the walk home.”

Nigel snorted. “‘The walk home.’ You’re funny. Like I’m going to _walk_ home after all I just ate.”

Marty chuckled. “Okay, so maybe a meal for the cab ride, then?”

“That’s more like it.” Nigel smiled. “But no, I think I’m all right.”

“Do you want to do anything else tonight?”

“Like what?”

“Anything you’re up for.”

Nigel thought about it. It had taken enough energy to clean his apartment – at least the places he knew Marty would see – and get dressed and go out for dinner. He wasn’t sure he really felt like doing much more. “I don’t know, man. I’m not sure I’m up for anything else.”

“All right,” Marty said, but his voice sounded distant. 

Nigel looked at him and Marty’s eyes, which were slightly wider than normal and focused somewhere in the distance behind Nigel, darted away from whatever he had been looking at. He met Nigel’s gaze.

Nigel furrowed his brow. “What?”

“What? Nothing.” Marty cleared his throat and then shifted in his seat.

“What is wrong with you?”

“Hm?” Marty lifted his eyebrows. “Oh. I’m fine. You?”

“You’re being weird.”

Marty grinned at that. “Must be rubbing off.”

Nigel shook his head but smiled. 

“Well, um,” Marty began. “We could…we could head back to your place. Hang out for a while. If, you know…if you’d like.”

“What’s going on here? You sound—”

“There’s nothing going on. Are you ready to leave?” Marty perched on the front of his chair, looking like a cat about to spring into action.

“Okay. Yeah. But, I mean, we sort of need to pay first.”

“Oh.” Marty laughed and it seemed oddly forced. “Right.”

Nigel furrowed his brow. He pulled out his wallet and glanced at the bill the waiter had dropped off for them.

Marty was acting strangely. It had come on suddenly, and Nigel wasn’t sure what had caused it. But something was off. Something was making Marty uncomfortable to the point that he wanted to leave. And leave _quickly_.

He had been staring off in the distance when the change had happened. Nigel wondered if he had seen something that had caused it. He glanced up and saw Marty with a few bills in hand. But he wasn’t looking down at the money or the check. He was looking over Nigel’s shoulder again.

Nigel said nothing. He simply waited. After a few moments, Marty glanced at him and then let out a small laugh. A nervous laugh, it sounded like.

“What the hell, man? What are you looking at?” Nigel turned in his chair.

“No, wait!” Marty said.

But it was too late. Nigel inhaled sharply, taking in the sight in front of him. The outdoor seating area was full of people. Bustling servers. Tables full of customers. And on the other side of the seating area sat a couple. A cute woman in a dress with her hair pinned up, who was touching the arm of the most beautiful man Nigel had ever seen.

The most beautiful man Nigel had ever _known_.

“Fucking hell,” Nigel muttered.

“Nigel,” Marty began. “Shit, I’m sorry.” 

He turned back around to see Marty watching him with wide, worried eyes.

“And you said they weren’t fucking,” Nigel managed to choke out. He tossed a few bills on the table and got to his feet.

“Nigel, wait.”

Nigel didn’t wait. He went to the street and paced, unsure of where to go. Marty joined him and gently grabbed a hold of his arm, stopping him.

“Let me get a cab.”

When Nigel nodded, Marty let go of his arm and hailed a cab. When the taxi pulled to the curb, Marty opened the door and slid in.

Nigel walked to the curb and put his hand on the door. Before he got in, he turned around to take another look at his puppy having dinner with someone else. Nigel’s eyes began to sting, and he felt his throat begin to close up.

_And then Adam looked at him_.

Nigel thought about going to him. He thought about leaving Marty and closing the door and running back to where Adam sat. He thought about apologizing for their fight and their breakup and pleading with Adam to take him back.

But he didn’t.

“Come on, man,” Marty said from inside the cab.

Nigel was pulled from his trance. Adam was still staring at him as Nigel forced himself to turn away. Then, he slid into the cab beside Marty and closed the door.


	6. Cut Short

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feeling anxious, Adam changes plans for the night, and Charlotte has a somewhat surprising proposal for him.

On the walk to the subway station, all Adam could think about was Nigel.

_What had he been doing at the restaurant? Was he there to see Adam? Had it simply been a coincidence? Why hadn’t he come by the table to say hello? Had he really seen Adam?_

“Are you okay?”

Adam was pulled from his thoughts at the sound of Charlotte’s voice. He nodded absently. He knew Charlotte hadn’t seen Nigel. She had heard Adam gasp at the sight of Nigel, but by the time she turned around to look, Nigel had disappeared into the cab. And when she questioned Adam about it, he simply said that he had seen someone he knew. She had let it go at that.

“I really enjoyed dinner with you,” Charlotte said after a few silent moments.

“Me too,” Adam agreed. He chewed his lip, debating his next words carefully.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Charlotte asked, eyeing him with a furrowed brow.

Adam nodded. “I was just wondering…”

Her eyebrows lifted, and Adam could see the glint of the street lamps in her eyes. “Yes?”

“Would you mind if we passed on the meteor shower tonight?”

“Oh.” Her expression changed at that, and she appeared to frowning. “Okay. Is there…” She trailed off and then cleared her throat. “Is there any particular reason?”

Adam frowned. Of course there was a reason: he had seen Nigel. His stomach had begun to hurt after seeing Nigel. All he could think about was seeing Nigel. It made him uneasy and anxious, and he didn’t think he could enjoy a meteor shower under such conditions. And he knew that he certainly didn’t want to associate such a wonderful celestial event with such a confusing and uncomfortable night.

“I’m just not feeling great,” Adam said.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Is it something you ate?”

Adam shook his head. “Just…anxious,” he uttered, opting for a vague version of the truth.

“Okay,” she said gently. “We don’t have to go. That’s fine.”

Adam smiled gently. “Thank you.”

They took the same train back to their neighborhood and when they got off, they walked towards Charlotte’s apartment. They rounded the corner onto her street, and Adam saw her apartment building up ahead.

“Now, _I’m_ wondering,” she began.

“What are you wondering?” Adam asked.

She laughed softly. A quick laugh that he had learned from others meant that someone was nervous. He wondered why she was feeling that way.

“I was just wondering if you would want to do this again some time?”

“Oh. Go to the Asian fusion restaurant? Um, maybe. I liked the chicken.”

She chuckled again, not quite as nervous-sounding that time. “No. I mean, in general. Just going out to dinner. Or anywhere really.”

“Oh. Yes, we could do that.”

“Great.”

He glanced at her and saw that she was smiling broadly. He resisted the urge to frown as he asked, “Was this a date?”

They reached the front of her apartment building, and she looked up at him, smiling. “Did you want it to be?”

Adam sighed softly. He didn’t like when people answered questions with questions. He had simply been looking for a straight answer in order to clarify the confusion going on in his mind. But he thought it would be rude to insist that she just answer his question. So, instead, he chewed his lip and then softly said, “I didn’t think it was.”

Charlotte continued to smile, but it faded slightly. 

She looked upset. Or disappointed. Adam wasn’t quite sure. “Did you think it was?” he asked after a few moments.

“No,” she said quickly. “I mean, I guess not. We didn’t say that it was, right?”

“No.” He watched her, and while she didn’t look sad, she didn’t look as happy as she had before they started that particular conversation. “Did you want it to be?”

“A date?” She exhaled a sound that seemed somewhere between a laugh and a sigh. “Did you?”

There it was again. Another question. Adam didn’t bother containing his frown.

“I guess that’s a no.”

“What?” Adam asked, furrowing his brow. He hadn’t said anything.

“It’s okay. We didn’t specify. And you just got out of a relationship. It’s no big deal.”

Adam shook his head. She was talking quickly, and he wasn’t sure what her statements were meant to imply. Or what they were leading to. “I’m confused.”

“I like you, Adam,” she blurted out. Then, a pinkish hue crept into her cheeks, and she looked away. 

He was familiar with that look. It was a look that he had had many times around Nigel. “Oh,” he said after a few moments. “I like you too.”

She shook her head. “No. I _like_ you.”

Adam frowned, furrowing his brow again. He wasn’t sure how that statement was any different than the one she had previously made.

“As more than a friend,” she said, clarifying.

“Oh,” Adam said. He chewed his lip. Despite Nigel having insisted that Charlotte liked him as more than a friend, he hadn’t seen it himself until that night. And even then, he hadn’t been entirely sure that the signs pointed to what Nigel had said they did. But evidently, Nigel had been right all along. Even so, Adam wasn’t sure how he felt about that. He liked spending time with Charlotte as a friend. She was attractive, but he had never felt anything towards her that was more than his feelings for a friend. But, then again, he had been with Nigel the entire time he had known Charlotte. Now that he was no longer in a relationship, he was free to explore feelings he may or may not have towards other people.

“This is extremely awkward,” Charlotte said, chuckling softly. “And I really have no idea how you feel, so I’m just going to come out and ask.”

“Okay,” Adam said, uncertain of what her question would be.

“Would you like to go on a date with me next weekend?”

Adam let the question sink in. His stomach turned a little as his mind flitted to Nigel. As much as he missed Nigel, they were no longer together. And despite the discomfort in his belly, he knew there was no reason for him to feel even the smallest amount of guilt.

“And I mean a proper date,” Charlotte said, interrupting his thoughts. “Not just two friends hanging out.”

Adam and Nigel hadn’t been apart for very long, but Nigel had been the one to end the relationship. Adam didn’t see why he shouldn’t go out and enjoy himself when the opportunity was presented. He looked at Charlotte who stared up at him with wide eyes. Finally, Adam smiled gently and said, “Okay.”

“‘Okay,’ as in yes? Or ‘okay’ as in you understand what I’m saying?”

“‘Okay’ as in yes.”

Charlotte beamed. “Great. All right.”

“What would you like to do?”

“I was thinking maybe we’d get some dinner and then go to the park.”

Adam nodded. He liked the sound of that. Dinner out could be a bit chaotic sometimes, especially for Adam, but a quiet walk through the park was something Adam always enjoyed. It was something he and Nigel had done countless times. “Okay, that sounds nice.”

“Great. So, Saturday evening?”

“Yes.”

They decided on a time, and then Adam walked Charlotte up the steps to her front door. They said goodbye, and she gave him a hug before going inside. Adam trotted down the steps and turned for home.

His apartment was only a fifteen minute walk from Charlotte’s. Adam enjoyed walking, and the weather was nice, if just a tad on the chilly side. By the time he reached his block and rounded the corner, he was ready to get inside and cozy up on the couch. But as he neared the front of his apartment, he looked up and gasped quietly to himself. Standing on the front steps was Nigel. 

Adam chewed his lip as he approached, wondering why Nigel had come to visit him. Nigel spotted Adam and walked down the steps to the sidewalk. He waited at the bottom of the steps until Adam reached him.

“Hi,” Adam said, offering a small smile.

“Hey.” Nigel didn’t smile. In fact, he wore a bit of a frown, and Adam thought he looked angry.


	7. Jealous Ex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nigel and Adam talk for the first time since the break-up, and it doesn't go as well as Nigel had hoped it would.

“What’s wrong?”

Nigel snorted. “Seriously?” Nigel had initially wanted to go home and sulk. But once he and Marty were in the cab and away from the restaurant, Nigel felt his nerves go into overdrive. Not only had he seen Adam for the first time in a couple of weeks, but Adam had been with someone else. On what appeared to be some kind of _date_.

Before the cab was even halfway to Nigel’s apartment, he thought his head was going to explode. He had given the cab driver a new destination against Marty’s protests. Once they had arrived at Adam’s apartment, Nigel climbed out. Marty insisted that he get back in and go home, but Nigel didn’t listen. Marty said he’d wait with Nigel – Nigel assumed to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid once Adam arrived – but Nigel told him to go ahead and leave. Marty told Nigel to call him later that night and then left in the cab.

Adam frowned. “Yes.”

“Who was that woman?” Nigel asked, taking a step closer to Adam.

Adam looked at him. “The woman I was with at the restaurant?”

“Yes, Adam. _That_ woman. Who else would I be talking about? How many other women have you been with?”

“Just the one.”

Nigel’s heart sank. And his stomach ached. “You’ve _been with_ her?”

“I just said that I had.”

“You’ve…” Nigel’s throat went dry and he swallowed a couple of times before he could speak. When he finally did, it came out as a whisper, “You’ve slept with her?”

“What?” Adam furrowed his brow. “No. Why would you think that?”

“You said you’ve been with her!”

“I meant physically. I was with her at the restaurant. You saw us there!”

Nigel let out a heavy sigh of relief. As much as he hated that Adam was spending time with someone else, he was relieved to hear that they had not slept together. But he had more questions. “Was it a date, though?”

Adam chewed his lip and then said, “No.”

“Good.”

“Good?” Adam frowned. “Why is that good?”

“We just broke up two weeks ago, Adam. Why the hell would you be dating someone else so soon?”

“Oh. Well, it wasn’t a date, but…”

“But?” Nigel took another step closer to Adam. “But what?”

Adam’s eyes darted around. Quietly, he said, “But we are going on a date next weekend.”

“What? Why?”

Adam’s face contorted. He looked confused. “Because she asked me to go on a date with her.”

“And you actually said yes?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Nigel shook his head. “Did you even fucking care about me at all?”

Adam’s brow furrowed again, creating deep lines between his eyebrows. “Of course I did. I don’t understand—”

Nigel closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I know you don’t understand.”

“Why _wouldn’t_ I date someone else?”

“Because we just broke up," Nigel said, raising his voice.

Adam flinched. “Yes. We _broke up_. So, why wouldn’t I date someone else?”

Nigel shook his head. “When are you going?”

“I told you. Next weekend.”

“Which fucking day, Adam?”

“Saturday. Why?”

“What time?” Nigel folded his arms across his chest.

“Seven.”

“Where are you going?”

“I don’t know yet. Dinner somewhere and maybe the park.”

Nigel clenched his jaw. “The park?”

Adam nodded. “Why?”

Nigel shook his head. “You never answered my first question.”

Adam frowned.

“Who is she?”

“Oh. That’s Charlotte. She’s the one I work with.”

Nigel growled. “The one I told you had a thing for you.”

Adam chewed his lip and nodded.

“And evidently you had a thing for her too.”

Adam shook his head. “No, I didn’t.”

“And now?”

Adam shrugged.

“And now you’re dating her. Are you in love with her?”

Adam shook his head, furrowing his brow. “What? No. I’m not even sure if I like her that way.”

“Yeah, right. Because people always go on dates with people they aren’t attracted to.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that you clearly find her attractive.”

“She is attractive, yes.”

“Great.”

Adam frowned and folded his arms. He looked as confused as Nigel assumed he was.

“I don’t want you to go,” Nigel said.

“Go where?”

“‘Go where?’” Nigel repeated with a scoff. “On your fucking _date_.”

“Oh. Why not?”

Nigel cocked his head, narrowing his eyes. “You can’t be serious.”

Adam frowned. “I am. Why don’t you want me to go?”

_Because I’m not over you. Because I want to get back together. Because I_ … Nigel felt his throat close up. He shook the final thought from his mind before it was fully formed. “Because,” he finally whispered. “She’s not good enough for you.”

“How would you know? You’ve never even met her.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Nigel said. “I can just tell.”

Adam shook his head.

“You don’t actually _want_ to go on a date with her, though, do you?”

“I…” Adam chewed his lip.

“You’re just doing this to make me crazy, aren’t you?”

“No.” Adam frowned. “Why would I do that? And why would it make you crazy?”

Nigel clenched his jaw. “So, you actually want to date her? Are you a couple now, then?”

“No. I mean, yes. I don’t know.” Adam squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. “You are confusing me!”

“Are you and _Charlotte_ a couple now or not?” Nigel barked.

“No!”

Nigel scoffed. “Right.”

“We’re not. We haven’t even gone on a date yet.”

“But you are. Saturday night, right?”

“Evening.”

“Saturday evening. You and Charlotte are going out on a date.” Nigel shook his head. He still couldn’t believe it.

“Yes.”

Nigel sighed, his chest beginning to ache again.

“Why do you care so much?”

Nigel shook his head. “I don’t,” he lied.

“Why did you come here?”

“To stop you from dating her.”

Adam frowned. “Because…she’s not good enough for me?”

Nigel opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.

Adam raised his eyebrows, waiting.

“Yes,” Nigel finally whispered.

“Well, you can’t know that.”

“I do know that. _Nobody_ is good enough for you.”

“You were,” Adam said.

Nigel’s breath caught. He lifted his eyebrows, staring at Adam. “What?”

“I should go inside.” Adam turned towards the steps.

“Wait.” Nigel launched his hand out and gently grabbed a hold of Adam’s arm. His stomach tightened at the familiar feel. He squeezed gently.

“What?” Adam said, staring down at Nigel’s hand on him.

Nigel’s mouth went dry and his throat closed up. He felt his eyes begin to sting. He didn’t know what to say or do to keep Adam with him. To keep him from going on his date. To get him to come back to Nigel. After a few silent moments, Nigel sighed and let go of Adam’s arm. Quietly, he said, “Have a good night.”

Adam looked up at him. “You too.” Then, he turned and walked up the steps.

Nigel thought about going after him. He thought about grabbing him and spinning him around and kissing him as hard as he could. He thought about pushing him up against the front door and making out until Adam complained of being cold. And he thought about taking Adam inside and throwing him on the couch and having his way with him. And then about cuddling afterwards, Adam’s gentle, delicate body draped over Nigel’s.

But he couldn’t move. His feet were firmly planted on the sidewalk as he watched Adam ascend the steps. Then, Adam opened the door and walked inside, giving Nigel a small glance before he closed the door.


	8. Comfort Food

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nigel resorts to eating after his unpleasant encounter with Adam.

Nigel had Marty on the phone before he reached his own apartment. As he went inside the building and up the flights of stairs, he relayed what had happened at Adam’s.

“He’s fucking _dating_ her! She’s some _woman_ he knows from work, and he’s fucking _dating_ her, Marty.”

Nigel ranted for a few minutes, repeating the same things over and over. He couldn’t wrap his head around any of it. Adam was dating. _Dating!_ They had broken up only two weeks earlier and Adam was already involved with someone else.

“I’m coming over,” Marty said after the fifth time Nigel repeated himself.

As Nigel entered his apartment, he slammed the door and threw his phone. He felt somewhat dissatisfied when it landed softly on the couch instead of smashing against the floor. He paced the living room, his head spinning with possibilities.

Adam was dating. Adam had moved on. Adam didn’t want to be with him anymore. Adam would be in a relationship with someone else soon enough. Adam would fall in love. Adam would have a family. Adam would be happy.

Adam would be happy _without_ Nigel.

“Fuck!” Nigel stormed into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. He found a six-pack of beer and pulled one out. He popped the cap off and took a swig. Then, he set the bottle on the countertop and rummaged around inside the refrigerator. He found a bottle of chocolate syrup. He pulled it out and opened the freezer, finding a tub of vanilla ice cream. He ripped the lid off and poured a puddle of chocolate into the container. Then he grabbed a spoon and dove in. He was several spoonfuls in when he heard a knock at the door.

“It’s open,” he called. Nigel continued to eat at the kitchen counter and a few moments later, Marty appeared in the doorway.

“That seems healthy.”

Nigel glared at him and took a long pull from his beer.

“Come on,” Marty said. He walked over and had the audacity to take Nigel’s spoon out of his hand.

“What the hell…”

Marty set the spoon in the ice cream container and then put his hand on Nigel’s back, ushering him away.

“What are you doing?”

“Come talk to me.”

“I can talk to you just fine with a mouth full of fucking ice cream.”

Marty smiled as he sat down at the kitchen table. “Yeah, I know. You can do a lot of things with a mouth full of fucking ice cream.”

Nigel grumbled but sat down.

“Tell me what happened. You didn’t do anything stupid, did you?”

“What the hell does that mean? Is that what you think of me?”

“You were in quite a state when I last saw you.”

“Yeah. Because I had just seen my fucking boyfriend on a date with someone else.” Nigel thought Marty would jump on the small technicality of Adam no longer being Nigel’s boyfriend, but he didn’t.

Instead, Marty said, “That’s why I was worried.”

“What the fuck did you think I’d do?”

“Something you’d regret later.”

“I’d never hurt him,” Nigel barked.

“I know that,” Marty said gently. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Good.”

“So, tell me what happened.”

Nigel sighed. “I got there and he showed up just a few minutes later. He was alone. I’m glad. I don’t think I could have taken it if she had been with him.”

“And then what?”

“Then, we just talked. Yelled a little. Not much, though. Not as much as I expected. But he’s fucking dating her, Marty. I mean, he’s going to. He said they are going on a date next weekend.”

“What did you say?”

“I told him I didn’t want him to. He didn’t seem to fucking care, though. I mean, who the hell goes on a date two weeks after breaking up with someone?”

“Nigel,” Marty began. But then he paused.

Nigel lifted his eyebrows. “What?”

Gently, Marty said, “He probably thinks you don’t want to be with him. He thinks it’s over.”

Nigel sighed.

“He’s just trying to cope. The same way you are.” Marty smirked. “Well, maybe not the _exact_ same way.”

Nigel narrowed his eyes. “Is that supposed to be funny?”

“I’m just teasing you. Trying to lighten your mood a little bit.”

Nigel sighed. He knew that. It’s what they did. But he wasn’t sure his mood could be lightened.

“I’m sorry, man,” Marty said after a few seconds.

Nigel shook his head. “No, it’s fine. I mean, you are. You’re not making it any worse.”

“I’m not making it any better either.”

“Did you think you could?” Nigel asked.

“No.” Then, Marty got to his feet.

Nigel watched him walk across the kitchen and pick up the ice cream container from the counter. He returned to the table and set the ice cream down in front of Nigel.

“Here, man. Have at it.”

Nigel smirked. He stared down into the container where the spoon was half-buried in the ice cream, and the edges of the vanilla-chocolate concoction had turned milky. He sighed and took the spoon. He scooped out a large mound of ice cream and resumed eating.


	9. Date Prep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam receives a surprise visitor as he prepares for his date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been the worst updater in the history of updating! I make no promises, but I fully _intend_ to finish posting this fic at regular intervals from here on out. XD

Adam pulled a lightweight sweater off a hanger in his closet. It was dark gray, and Nigel had said before that it brought out his eyes. He held it up to himself and looked in the mirror. As he began to get dressed, he thought about the encounter with Nigel the weekend before. He hadn’t expected to come home from his non-date and find Nigel standing on his front steps. He had been surprised and had wondered why Nigel would come by. Nigel had said that he didn’t want Adam dating. Adam wasn’t sure he understood. He sometimes didn’t understand why people did the things they did, but for some reason, he thought that Nigel had sounded jealous. At least, the type of jealous that he had seen on television. But he didn’t understand why.

Nigel was the one who had broken up with Adam. They had had their fight, and Nigel had ended things. They hadn’t seen each other for two weeks after that, and then they happened to spot one another at the restaurant the previous weekend. And then, suddenly, Nigel had decided to come by to tell Adam that he shouldn’t be dating.

Adam was confused.

He tried to put the incident out of his head as he got dressed. He pulled on the sweater and looked himself over in the mirror. He liked the way it looked on him, but he wasn’t sure if it was right for a date. A proper date, as Charlotte had put it. He chewed his lip and removed the sweater, returning to his closet.

He hung the sweater back on the hanger and put it in its place. Then, he thumbed through the rest of his clothing. He wasn’t sure a sweater was right. It was his most comfortable item of clothing and what he often wore to work, but he didn’t know if it was appropriate for a date. He wasn’t sure why he was so concerned about it. He had never felt so unsure when he had dated Nigel. But he knew Nigel liked him in anything. At least, he seemed to from the abundance of compliments he had given him their first few times out. Well, actually _any time_ they were together. Nigel was always complimenting him. And Adam was constantly blushing and thanking him.

Adam sighed. He missed that. He missed the comfort and ease of spending time with Nigel. Of dating Nigel. Of being in a relationship with Nigel. He hadn’t had to try so hard with him. Everything had just come naturally for both of them when they were together. He hadn’t found any such ease with Charlotte.

He liked Charlotte well enough. She was nice and sweet and attractive, and she seemed understanding of some of what Adam went through. But it wasn’t the same. She didn’t give him the same feeling that Nigel did. The same feeling Adam had had the first time they had met and every time they were together after that.

Adam wondered if that was normal. Maybe each person was supposed to make him feel differently. He didn’t know. He hadn’t been in enough relationships – or been on enough dates – to have a grasp on that sort of thing.

Finally, after flipping through his closet for several minutes, he pulled out a dark green dress shirt. He found a pair of black trousers to go with them, and then he changed clothes. He looked himself over in the mirror again, debating on whether or not he should wear a tie. He ultimately decided to go for it and found one in his drawer.

Adam finished getting ready and went to the living room. He glanced outside through the window and saw that it had begun to rain. He found his umbrella beside the door and snatched it as he heard a knock at the front door.

He and Charlotte had made plans a couple of nights earlier. She was going to meet him at his apartment and they would walk to a nearby restaurant from there. Afterwards, they would go to Central Park and enjoy a nice, quiet walk under the moonlight. Adam glanced at the clock over the television. It was ten minutes before they had scheduled to meet. Charlotte was early.

Adam went to the door and opened it, offering a smile. But what he saw surprised him. Or, rather, _who_ he saw. Standing on the other side of the threshold was a rain-soaked Nigel.

“Oh!” Adam said, a little taken aback by Nigel’s presence. “Hi. What are you doing here?” He chewed his lip and glanced over his shoulder at the clock again. He knew Charlotte would be there soon, and he thought the two of them being there at the same time might be awkward.

“Good,” Nigel said. “You haven’t left yet.”

“No. Not yet. What are you doing here?” he repeated.

“I was just in the neighborhood,” Nigel said, folding his arms over his chest.

Adam glanced at Nigel’s torso. He wore a button-down shirt that should have been slightly loose, the way Nigel liked them, but Adam thought the middle of it looked a little more fitted than usual.

“I wanted to stop by and say hey.”

“Oh,” Adam uttered, pulling his attention away from Nigel’s midsection. “Okay. Well, hi.”

“Still going on your date?”

Adam nodded and then quickly began to speak. “Yes. I was about to head out. I mean, I’m waiting for Charlotte, but she should be here any moment. We agreed to meet here and then we were going to leave and—”

“Shit, Adam, take a breath.”

Adam inhaled sharply, catching his breath. He chewed his lip and then quietly said, “I can’t really stay and talk.”

“Well, she’s not here yet, right? So, you have a few minutes.”

Adam glanced over Nigel’s shoulder. He didn’t see any sign of Charlotte yet, but they hadn’t planned to meet for several more minutes. He returned his attention to Nigel’s face. “I guess I do, yes.”

“Great.” Nigel unfolded his arms and looked over Adam’s shoulder and then met Adam’s gaze again. “So…”

Adam lifted his eyebrows. “Yes?”

“Are you going to invite me in?”

“Oh.” Adam frowned. “Um.” The last time Nigel had been inside Adam’s apartment was the night they had broken up. The night _Nigel_ had broken up with Adam. Adam had thought about this moment many times. About the possibility of Nigel returning to him. About coming inside and the two of them making up and getting back together. But he had never considered the possibility that he would be waiting for another date when Nigel came inside. “I guess that would be okay.” Adam stepped aside, and Nigel walked in.

Adam felt a gentle stir low in his belly. He missed Nigel. He missed everything about him. And something about him now drew Adam in even more. Adam looked him over.

Despite the dampness, his hair looked the same. Straw and honey, streaked with thin locks of gray. His facial hair had grown in a bit and was nearly a full-fledged beard. Adam liked the new look. He trailed his eyes downward. Nigel’s chest and arms looked the same, but he definitely looked a little thicker around the middle. The shirt that generally hung a little loosely was held in place by his expanded midsection, and the damp fabric clung to his broadened torso. Adam felt his feet step forward before he could stop himself.

“I don’t think you should go tonight,” Nigel said, pulling Adam from his trance.

“What?” Adam folded his arms and looked up at Nigel’s face. Into those amber eyes with the tiny crow’s feet at the corners. He missed all of it. “Why not?”

“I think you know why,” Nigel said gently. They had had a similar conversation a week earlier. But Nigel had been agitated then. This time, he seemed less so. He seemed almost calm. Adam wondered what had changed in the last week.

“I don’t. Not really.”

“Because I don’t want you dating anyone else.”

Adam sighed. “Then, why did you break up with me?”

Nigel’s lips parted, but he said nothing. He licked his lips and then closed his mouth.

Adam lifted his eyebrows. “If you didn’t want me to date anyone else, you shouldn’t have ended our relationship.”

Nigel’s brow pulled together and he ducked his head. But before his eyes were out of sight, Adam thought he saw tears in them. Adam frowned. He didn’t want to upset Nigel. And he certainly didn’t want to make him cry.

“I just mean…if you—” 

_Knock knock knock_.

Adam turned his head towards the sound. Charlotte must have arrived. He sighed and looked at Nigel. “You should probably go home,” he said softly. Then, he turned and walked to the door, pulling it open. Charlotte stood on the other side, holding an umbrella over her head and smiling sweetly at him.

“Hey, Adam. Are you ready to— _Oh_.”

“What?” Adam looked at her eyes which were focused over Adam’s shoulder. He turned to follow her gaze and saw Nigel standing just behind him. “Oh.” Adam opened the door wider and stepped aside. “Charlotte, this is Nigel. Nigel…Charlotte.”

“Oh. _Oh_. Nigel. It’s, um, nice to meet you.” Charlotte offered a smile that looked odd. Not like the smiles he was used to seeing from her. And then her eyes flitted to Adam and her eyebrows lifted slightly. Almost as if she wanted to ask a question.

“Yeah. Such a pleasure,” Nigel said. It was with the same low, dry tone he used when Adam had learned he was being sarcastic. Adam frowned.

“Are we still going?” Charlotte asked softly.

“Yes,” Adam said, returning his attention to her.

Then, he looked at Nigel. He had already asked him to leave once, and he didn’t want to be rude and insist that he go, but he didn’t think it was appropriate to let him stay in the apartment either.

Nigel looked at him. When Adam lifted his eyebrows, Nigel let out a sound that seemed somewhere between a sigh and a huff. Then, he stepped across the threshold. Charlotte moved aside to let him pass.

Adam watched Nigel descend the steps, rain re-dampening his hair that had begun to dry.

“Nigel, wait.”

Nigel turned on the steps and looked up at him.

Adam trotted down to meet him. He still held his closed umbrella in his hand and he held it out to Nigel. “Here.”

Nigel looked back and forth between Adam’s face and the umbrella. He glanced over Adam’s shoulder – probably at Charlotte – and then took the umbrella from him. “Thank you.”

Adam smiled. “You’re welcome.”

Nigel opened the umbrella and held it over the two of them. Rain water ran down his face from his hair, giving the appearance that he was crying. Adam felt a small twinge in his stomach.

“Enjoy your night,” Nigel said, turning around and walking down the steps. He reached the sidewalk and headed north.

Adam felt rain pelt his face for a few moments and then it stopped. He heard the small thuds against an umbrella and looked to his side to see that Charlotte had joined him, holding her umbrella over both of them.

“Are you ready to go?” she asked.

Adam nodded. He watched Nigel for a few more moments, and then he and Charlotte walked down the steps together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks for your continued support & love & awesomeness! ♥♥♥


	10. Dinner Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam & Charlotte go on their date & engage in an unexpected conversation.

“So, what’s going on with Nigel?”

Adam was nearly finished with his dinner when Charlotte asked the question that made his stomach flip-flop. They had talked for most of the walk to the restaurant and most of the time they had been seated. But the conversation had remained light and easy as they spoke of their families and work and other things like that.

“What do you mean?” Adam asked. He set his fork down, suddenly not feeling very hungry any longer.

“It just seems weird that he showed up right before our date.”

“It does?”

“Yeah. I mean, it’s as if he knew.”

“Oh. He did.”

Charlotte lifted her eyebrows. “Oh, really? How’d he know that?”

“I told him.” When she continued to stare at him without saying a word, Adam got the feeling that she wanted him to elaborate. “He was at the restaurant last week. By chance, I think. But we saw each other. And then after I walked you home, he was waiting for me when I got back to my place.”

“And you told him about our date?”

“Yes.”

She nodded slowly.

Adam didn’t know what else to say about it. He dropped his gaze and picked up his fork again, just to have something to do.

“I think he’s still hung up on you.”

Adam poked at his food. “Hung up?”

“He still has feelings for you.”

Adam’s stomach tightened. He had thought that might be a possibility. If he were being honest, he still had feelings for Nigel. He assumed, despite the breakup, that maybe Nigel still felt the same way. But he hadn’t been sure. And he wasn’t certain those feelings were the same as they once had been. “I’m not sure how he feels,” Adam mumbled.

“He is in love with you.”

Adam looked up at her then. For a brief moment, anyway. Then, he let his eyes dart around as her comment sank in. “He’s never said that to me.”

Charlotte made a small exhaling sound. Adam looked up to see her smiling and gently shaking her head.

“What?” he asked.

“He may not have said it to you, but it’s as plain as day.”

Adam frowned. “It is?”

“Definitely.”

Of course they had both had feelings for one another. They loved spending time together and did it as much as possible. But in their few months of dating, they had never said anything about _loving_ one another. Adam’s stomach continued to hurt as he thought about it. As he thought about how he had always imagined himself feeling when in love.

That’s how he had felt with Nigel.

Adam frowned, beginning to miss Nigel even more than he had before. “I don’t know,” he said gently. “Why did he break up with me, then?”

“People do stupid things all the time,” she said, as if that explained it.

“You think he did a stupid thing?”

“Honestly?”

Adam looked at her and nodded.

“If he’s still in love with you, which he seems to be, then yes.”

“Oh,” Adam whispered.

“And then some people even recognize the stupid thing they did. The mistake they made. And they try to fix it.”

“Sometimes. I guess so.” He looked up again. Charlotte stared at him until he looked away. “Is that what he’s doing?”

“He’s shown up at both of our dates, Adam.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes.”

Adam fidgeted with the end of the fork. “This seems like an awkward conversation.”

Charlotte laughed softly.

Adam looked at her. “I’ve heard that it’s not really appropriate to talk about an ex while on a date with someone else.”

She shrugged and smiled gently. “It’s not a big deal.”

“It isn’t?”

“For some people, it might be. But not for me.”

“Oh.” He chewed his lip and then asked, “Why not?”

“Because it’s our second date. And it’s not a surprise. The two of you broke up three weeks ago.”

“Tomorrow.”

“What?”

“Three weeks tomorrow,” he clarified.

“ _Nearly_ three weeks, then.”

He nodded. “And that makes it okay to talk about?”

She shrugged. “Sure. I guess so. I mean, I could tell you were reluctant to go on a date in the first place. I hesitated even asking because I figured you still had feelings for him.”

“Oh.” Adam frowned. He _had_ been reluctant, but he had hoped that she hadn’t noticed.

“It’s okay, Adam. And it’s okay if you want to talk about it. Whatever happens between us, I’d still like to be your friend.”

“Okay,” he said gently.

She smiled and then returned her attention to her meal. Adam poked at his with his fork. After a few minutes, she spoke again.

“So, it’s pretty obvious that Nigel is still in love with you,” she said. She paused and then looked at him and asked, “Are you still in love with him?”

Adam chewed his lip.


	11. Moment of Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nigel waits for Adam to return home from his date.

After Nigel descended the steps and went down the sidewalk, he turned around to see Adam and Charlotte walking together in the opposite direction. Nigel stopped in his tracks. He wanted to run after them. He wanted to stop Adam and have him come back so that they could talk. So that they could work things out. But he couldn’t.

He knew that if Adam didn’t feel the same way about him, he would end up humiliated not only in front of Adam, but in front of his new _girlfriend_ as well. And it wasn’t that he particularly cared what Charlotte thought about him, but he figured the smaller the circle of humiliation the better.

So, he remained on the sidewalk, holding the umbrella Adam had given him, watching the two of them walk away together on their date. And all he could think about was the fact that he had forgotten to mention how gorgeous Adam looked in his dress clothes and tie.

Nigel sighed. When the two of them rounded a corner and disappeared from sight, Nigel turned around. He gripped the umbrella tightly, wondering if Adam intended for him to bring it back at some point.

_Had it been a message?_

He wondered if Adam had meant for Nigel to come back to him. Perhaps it had been a plan so that Adam could see Nigel again. He honestly doubted it. Adam wasn’t as manipulative as that, but Nigel’s stomach flip-flopped at the idea anyway. Either way, he _had_ given Nigel the umbrella. And Nigel certainly intended to return it. Which meant that he would have a great reason to see Adam again.

As he walked away from Adam’s apartment, he found himself wanting to linger nearby. He couldn’t bring himself to catch a cab to go home. And he didn’t feel like going to Marty’s to talk. He wanted to stay close. He wanted to be around when Adam returned home. He wanted to know how the date went. He wanted to know a lot of things.

So, Nigel remained nearby. For a half hour, he sauntered in and out of local shops, browsing but never looking for anything in particular. He checked the time on his phone frequently, wondering how long the two of them would be gone. He wasn’t sure what all they were doing. He hadn’t thought to ask that when he had grilled Adam about the date the weekend before.

After Nigel had exhausted all of the shops in the area, he decided he might as well get something to eat. It had been a couple of hours since he had eaten, and while he wasn’t exactly hungry, he had an appetite. He found a food truck nearby and ordered a gyro and a soda. He put the umbrella down and leaned it against a building as he stood beneath an awning and ate. When he had finished, he decided to walk back to Adam’s.

By the time Nigel arrived at Adam’s place again, an hour had passed since Adam and Charlotte had left on their date. He hoped they wouldn’t be gone too much longer. He hoped Adam didn’t bring Charlotte back to his apartment. And he _really_ hoped that Adam didn’t go back to Charlotte’s place afterwards. His stomach churned at the thought.

Nigel walked up a few steps and sat down, not caring at all that the wet steps were soaking the ass of his jeans. The rain had let up slightly but there was still a drizzle. He kept the umbrella up, the metal stem resting against his cheek, as he waited for Adam to return home.

He wasn’t sure what he would say when Adam arrived. And a part of him felt like he was really crossing a line by waiting for Adam to return. But the other, much larger, part of him didn’t care. He didn’t want Adam going on dates with other people. He didn’t want to be apart from Adam. He had made a mistake in breaking up with him, and he really wanted to try to fix it. But he wasn’t sure how. He supposed he just needed to talk to Adam, as Marty had suggested numerous times. He hoped it would be enough.

Nigel watched the sidewalk in the direction Adam and Charlotte had disappeared earlier that evening. Every person who turned his direction would make Nigel’s stomach flutter. At least, until he saw that it wasn’t Adam. Then, he’d let out a sigh and relax on the steps again. It wasn’t until at least three dozen people had faked Nigel out that Adam finally appeared.

Nigel’s stomach seized as he got to his feet, making him wonder if he would see his gyro dinner again. But as Adam neared, he offered a small smile. It didn’t appear forced, and Nigel was glad. It was the same lovely, adorable smile that Nigel was so used to seeing from Adam. He wanted to run to him and pull Adam into his arms and hold onto him forever. But he didn’t. He remained on the steps, waiting for Adam to reach him.

He hoped the conversation would go better than the previous one they had had on the front steps. The one a week ago where Nigel had been extremely jealous after seeing Adam and Charlotte together at the Asian fusion restaurant. He took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly, hoping to calm himself before talking with Adam.

As Adam reached him, Nigel frowned. Despite Adam’s smile, he was soaking wet. He had given his umbrella to Nigel. Charlotte had had her own, but she must have kept it after Adam walked her home – assuming he had. So Adam had no umbrella. He had walked for who-knew-how-long in the rain, with nothing to cover him.

Nigel trotted down the steps to meet him, immediately repositioning the umbrella so it covered both of them.

“Hi,” Nigel said.

“Hi.”

“You are soaking wet.”

Adam nodded.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken your umbrella.”

“I gave it to you.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t realize you’d get soaked on the way home. I didn’t even think about it.”

“It’s okay.” He was still smiling.

Nigel smiled back. And it was then that he realized how closely they were standing. They were both on the sidewalk, but since Nigel had used the umbrella to cover both of them, he had had to move fairly close to Adam.

Adam didn’t seem uncomfortable. At least, not to Nigel. He continued to smile a gentle, easy smile. He did fold his arms over his chest, but it didn’t have the same look as when he felt nervous or uneasy. He just looked cold.

Nigel looked him over. The rain had dampened his shirt so that it clung to his body. Nigel could see the outline of his slender frame, and he felt something stir deep in his stomach.

“You must be freezing.”

“I’m a little chilly. But it’s pretty warm out. I shouldn’t be cold.”

Nigel shook his head. “You’re always cold.”

“Not always.”

“Well, certainly when you’re soaking wet.”

“That’s true.”

“I…can go home if you want to go inside.”

Adam chewed his lip. “Um…”

Nigel perked up at Adam’s hesitation. He hadn’t immediately responded. He hadn’t immediately told Nigel that he did want him to go home. He hadn’t exactly invited him in or anything, but he hadn’t told him to leave either.

“Or…I could come inside,” Nigel said, testing the waters.

“Oh.”

“Just to talk,” Nigel said quickly.

Adam looked up at his front door. Then back to Nigel. After a few moments, he softly said, “Okay.”

“Okay…what?”

“Okay, you may come inside.”

Nigel couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face, nor did he try to.

Adam smiled gently and then turned towards the steps. Nigel followed along with the umbrella over both of them as they walked up to the front door. Adam unlocked it and walked inside, leaving the door open. Nigel walked in behind him and put the umbrella down, leaving it by the front door. He closed the door and then turned around to face Adam who stood a few feet away with his arms crossed over his chest, his damp shirt still clinging to him.

“So,” Nigel began, running a hand through his hair. He worked to keep his voice calm as he asked, “How was your date?” He was surprised when Adam shrugged. He furrowed his brow and said, “Not good?”

“It was okay.”

“Just okay?”

Adam nodded.

“I figured the two of you had a wonderful time.” He watched Adam closely, but when the younger man didn’t answer, Nigel continued. “So, why wasn’t it great? She seemed really interested in you.”

“I guess so.”

“You don’t think so?”

“No. I mean, yes. I think she’s interested. She said she likes me as more than friend, so I assume she would want to be together.”

Nigel frowned and looked away. “Yeah.”

“But I don’t think I want to be with her,” Adam said in a near-whisper.

Nigel looked at Adam again, trying not to get his hopes up. “No? Why not?”

Adam chewed his bottom lip. He shrugged and then said, “I don’t think I’m ready.”

“Oh.” Nigel had hoped for something a little more than that. A little different.

“Most of the time, we just talked about you.”

Nigel lifted his eyebrows. “About me? Why?”

“She thinks you’re still—she thinks you still have feelings for me.”

Nigel smiled and averted his eyes.

“Is that true?”

Nigel took in a deep breath, weighing his options. He didn’t like feeling vulnerable, especially when he wasn’t sure what the outcome would be. But he also felt like this might be one of his last chances – if not _the_ last chance – to be honest with Adam before the latter truly began to move on. He couldn’t afford to waste it.

“Yes,” Nigel whispered.

Adam frowned.

Nigel’s stomach tightened at that. He didn’t know what the frown meant – if Adam were upset by that or simply thinking things over. He waited for Adam to speak, unsure that he could say anything more.

“Why did you break up with me, then?”

“I’m a fucking idiot.”

Adam took a step forward. “No, you’re not. You’re very smart.”

Nigel snorted. “Not when I broke up with you, I wasn’t.”

“Oh. What does that mean?”

“It means that I fucked up.”

Adam chewed his lip again. His brow furrowed slightly.

“I shouldn’t have broken up with you.”

Adam looked up at him, his eyes wider than usual.

“I didn’t mean it when I said we shouldn’t be together. I was just frustrated and…”

“And what?”

“And scared,” Nigel whispered. “When you said you weren’t good for me, I got scared. So I just said that about how we shouldn’t be together, not really expecting you to agree. At least, hoping you wouldn’t. But then, you did. You agreed to it. And I just freaked out.”

Adam frowned again. “Technically, I didn’t agree.”

Nigel tilted his head. “No?”

“No. I believe what I said was ‘maybe not.’ When you said that maybe we shouldn’t be together, all I said was ‘maybe not.’ I didn’t necessarily mean that we should break up. I think I was surprised by your reaction too, and that just came out.”

Nigel nodded slowly. “So, when you said that you weren’t good for me, did you mean that?”

Adam furrowed his brow as though he were thinking hard.

Nigel waited.

“I think that if I’m the reason you are the person you don’t want to be, then yes.”

“But that’s not true. I messed up that night. When I beat the shit out of the guy who was pushing himself on you. I…slipped up. That’s all. I’m not still that person. And I don’t _want_ to be that person.”

Adam smiled gently. “Really?”

“Yes,” Nigel insisted.

“Okay. That’s good.”

Nigel nodded. “So…what does this mean for us?”

“I’m not sure.” Adam chewed his lip.

“Well,” Nigel began, taking a couple steps towards Adam. “What would _you_ prefer?”

“I would prefer…” Adam took a small step forward. “To not be broken up.”

Nigel grinned widely. “Yeah?”

Adam nodded. “What about you?”

“I want the same damn thing.”

Adam beamed.

Nigel closed the gap between them, gently placing his hands on Adam’s sides, feeling the cold, wet shirt beneath his hands. And the slender frame beneath that. Adam certainly hadn’t eaten his feelings like Nigel had during the three weeks they had been apart. “So, are we back together then?” Nigel asked, hopeful.

“Yes,” Adam said without hesitation.

Nigel chuckled softly and then pulled Adam against him. He firmly pressed his lips into Adam’s, not caring how rough or sloppy it felt. And as Adam slid his hands around Nigel’s waist, deepening the kiss further, he didn’t seem to care either.


	12. Something Familiar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam & Nigel reunite with heartwarming results.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: the syrupy sweetness herein may rot your teeth. Have a toothbrush at the ready.

The two of them kissed in the entryway for several minutes before coming up for air. Despite the warmth spreading in his chest and stomach, Adam began to feel a chill from his wet clothes.

“I think I need to go dry off,” he said. “And change clothes.”

Nigel smiled and nodded. “Okay.”

He looked Nigel over. He was still mostly dry but his pants were a little damp. Adam assumed he had just been too tall for the umbrella to keep him completely dry. “Do you need to change too?”

Nigel shrugged. “I’ll live.”

Adam smiled but shook his head. He took Nigel’s hand and said, “Come on.”

Adam led Nigel to the bedroom. When they were inside, he let go of Nigel’s hand and went to his dresser.

“I don’t think your clothes are going to fit me,” Nigel said with a smirk.

Adam smiled. “No, I don’t think so either. But I have some of yours.”

Nigel lifted his eyebrows. “Really, now?”

Adam nodded. “You left some before—Well, before the breakup.” Adam frowned slightly.

Nigel smiled. It was a gentle smile that Adam knew Nigel reserved only for him. He crossed the room and stood right beside Adam, gently rubbing his arm. “It’s all right, darling. We’re together again.”

Adam returned the smile and nodded.

“So, where are these clothes you’ve been hoarding from me?”

Adam giggled and pulled open a drawer. He found a pair of jeans he knew belonged to Nigel and pulled them out. He gave them to Nigel.

Nigel held them out in front of him and looked them over. His nose scrunched up. “Are you sure these are mine?”

Adam nodded. “Yes. You left them here.”

“How did I leave a pair of jeans here? What did I go home in, my underwear?”

Adam giggled again. “No. You sometimes stay multiple nights, right? Well, I think you brought clothes to change into the next day. And then I washed the ones you had worn, and you went home in the clean ones.”

“Oh, I see. And then you stole them from me.”

Adam furrowed his brow. “I didn’t steal them. You never came back for them.”

Nigel chuckled. “I’m kidding, love.” He walked to the edge of the bed and laid the pants down on the neatly made comforter.

Adam watched as Nigel unfastened the jeans he was wearing and wiggled out of them. It was a familiar sight. Something he had seen Nigel do countless times. But something about it felt new to Adam. The breakup had reset something in their relationship that made Adam feel more nervous than he thought he should. As Nigel stepped into the dry jeans and pulled them up, Adam spoke.

“Does this feel weird to you?”

“Yeah, kind of,” Nigel said.

Adam frowned. “Really?”

But Nigel wasn’t looking at him. He was staring down at the pants he was trying to fasten. “Yeah, these definitely feel weird.”

Adam furrowed his brow. “I meant between us.”

“Huh?” Nigel looked up. “Oh. No, I don’t think anything is weird between us. I think we’re both still recovering from the breakup, right? We just need to talk things out.”

Adam smiled gently and let out a small sigh. He knew Nigel was right. They had just gone through an awkward and painful breakup and then before either one of them was even close to moving on, they had gotten back together. Adam felt as though he had whiplash from the whole ordeal. As he watched Nigel struggle with his jeans, he giggled. He knew they would be all right.

“What the hell are you laughing at?” Nigel asked, narrowing his eyes in Adam’s direction.

Adam forced himself to stop giggling.

Then, Nigel smiled and winked. He looked down again and let go of his jeans. Then, he pulled his shirt up. “I think this thing is just in the way.” He tugged it off over his head without unbuttoning it and tossed it on the floor.

Adam stared at Nigel’s midsection. Nigel’s chest was broad and full, as it had always been. His stomach, which had always been a bit soft but lean, had filled out significantly. At least, what Adam considered a significant amount for the few weeks they had been apart.

His stomach looked softer, with a little bit of pudge just below his navel. And as he tugged at the front of his jeans again, Nigel’s sides formed little love handles that bulged out over the sides of his waistband.

Adam chewed his bottom lip, feeling a warmth spread low in his belly as he stared at the changes to Nigel’s body.

Nigel sucked his stomach in and finally fastened the jeans in the front. The waistband dug into his softer waist, causing the new fleshiness to pooch out over the top. Adam felt his feet moving and then a few moments later, he stood in front of Nigel.

Adam reached out and gently placed his hands on Nigel’s sides, squeezing the new softness he found there. “You’ve gained weight.”

Nigel chuckled. “Yeah,” he said, drawing out the word. He lifted a hand and scratched at the back of his head, smiling oddly as he looked down at Adam.

Adam smiled and then returned his attention to Nigel’s torso. He slowly rubbed Nigel’s sides, feeling the plush warmth beneath his palms. He ran his hands around to the front and lightly pinched at the pudge over the button of Nigel’s pants.

Nigel’s stomach shrank slightly.

Adam frowned. “What are you doing?”

“Sucking in the gut I’ve put on.”

Adam looked up at him, still frowning. “Why?”

Nigel furrowed his brow. “Uh, because…”

Adam waited.

“I don’t know. You said I’ve gained weight.”

“You have.”

“Well, there you go.”

Adam shook his head. “I’m confused.”

Nigel chuckled. “Don’t worry, darling. I can work it off.”

“What?” Adam said, his voice slightly more high-pitched than intended. “That’s not what I meant. I don’t want that.”

Nigel lifted his eyebrows. “No?”

“No! I like it.”

“Oh.” Nigel snorted. “Seriously?”

Adam smiled, feeling a bit of heat rush into his cheeks despite how chilly he still felt. He nodded. “Yes. I like it. A lot.”

Nigel grinned. “Well, that’s new.”

Adam nodded. He gently pinched Nigel’s tummy roll between his thumb and forefinger. “So is this.”

Nigel laughed, his belly jiggling slightly.

Adam bit his lip.

“Let’s get you out of these clothes,” Nigel said. “You have to be freezing.”

Adam nodded, but he didn’t take his eyes off of Nigel’s stomach.

“No worries, love. My gut’s not going anywhere right now.”

Adam looked up. “Right now?”

“Yeah.”

“What do you mean ‘right now?’”

“Come on. Take your clothes off.” Nigel leaned in and kissed him on the cheek and then turned towards the closet. “What would you like to wear?”

Adam watched Nigel flip through the clothes. “Is it going somewhere later?”

Nigel smirked. “I don’t know. Depends on how much you really like it. Take those wet clothes off, Adam.”

Adam felt his cheeks burn again. “I like it very much,” Adam said gently. “I told you that.” He loosened the tie that had begun to feel uncomfortable and he pulled it off over his head without undoing it completely. He dropped it on the floor and began to unbutton his dress shirt.

Nigel plucked a hanger off the rack and turned around, holding up a black sweater. It was a thick sweater that had always made Adam feel warm and cozy. He lifted his eyebrows and nodded enthusiastically.

Nigel chuckled and removed the hanger, laying the sweater on the bed. Then, he turned towards Adam’s dresser. As he passed Adam, he looked him over and said, “You need to dry off. Hang on.” Then, he veered away from the dresser and went to the door, disappearing into the hallway.

Adam remained where he was. He finished with the buttons and let his shirt slide off his shoulders and arms until it fell to the floor. Then he worked on his pants. By the time Nigel returned, Adam was standing in only his boxers by the edge of the bed.

“Here,” Nigel said as he re-entered the bedroom. “I brought you a towel.” He held out the fluffy butter-colored towel.

Adam took it and dried his damp skin while Nigel went to the dresser. He pulled out a drawer and rummaged inside. When Adam was finished drying off, Nigel turned around with a neatly folded pair of pajama pants. Adam took them from him and set them on the bed.

Adam chewed his lip, folding his arms across his chest.

Nigel smirked. “What?”

“Nothing. I…” He trailed off, looking back and forth between the pajama pants on his bed and the slightly damp boxers he was wearing.

Nigel lifted his eyebrows. “Adam, I’ve seen you naked.”

“I know,” Adam said gently. “I just…”

Nigel frowned. “You want to start slowly this time?”

“No! No. I mean, I want to pick up where we left off. I just…I’m not used to you staring at me while I change clothes.”

Nigel snorted. “All right. It’s a weird night. And because of that, I’m going to let this slide.”

Adam blushed. “Thank you.”

Nigel smiled. “No problem, darling.” He walked over and kissed Adam on the mouth. “You’re so damn cute.”

Adam felt his cheeks grow hotter. “Thanks,” he whispered.

Nigel nodded and began picking up the clothing Adam had dropped on the floor. Satisfied that Nigel was properly distracted, Adam slipped off his boxers. He felt himself blush a little more as Nigel grabbed those too, taking the armful of clothing out of the room. Adam grabbed the clean, dry pajama pants from the bed and quickly pulled them on. Nigel re-entered the room as Adam tugged the black sweater down, already feeling warmer. He smiled in Nigel’s direction and the older man walked over to him.

“I’m sorry about this,” Adam said. “I don’t know why I’m nervous.”

Nigel smiled gently and reached out, slowly rubbing both of Adam’s upper arms. “It’s all right.”

Adam leaned into him and Nigel wrapped his arms around Adam’s body, gently rubbing his back. Adam wrapped his arms around Nigel’s bare waist.

“I’m not exactly an expert on relationships, but I do know that things can seem kind of strange when you’ve been away from the other person for a while.”

Adam nodded. “And it’s not that I’m not comfortable with you because I definitely am!”

“I know,” Nigel said with a gentle chuckle. “But I don’t think either one of us expected this tonight. And after an excruciatingly long three weeks apart, it all seems a bit sudden.”

“Yes, exactly.” Adam nuzzled Nigel’s shoulder. “Not that it’s not good, though!”

Nigel chuckled. “Of course. I think we just need to do something familiar again. Something that feels like _us_.”

Adam pulled back just enough to look up at him. “What did you have in mind?”

“How about a nice breakfast tomorrow and then a leisurely walk through the park.”

Walking through the park had been part of the plan for his date with Charlotte that evening. But it was something he and Nigel had done countless times, and he suddenly found himself happy and relieved that he hadn’t done it with Charlotte instead. He smiled. “That sounds wonderful.”

Nigel smiled. But then his grin changed.

Adam knew that look. It was one of mischief. He felt his eyes widen slightly as he said, “What?”

Nigel gently squeezed Adam’s arms. “Perhaps we could start now.”

Adam frowned. “Well, the rain had let up a little by the time I arrived home, but it’s already dark now, and the forecast said it’s supposed to rain most of the night. I’m not sure now would be a good time for a walk through the—”

“No, no, no,” Nigel said. “I don’t mean the walk. I mean that we could start with something familiar tonight.”

“Oh. Okay.” He furrowed his brow and asked, “Like what?”

Nigel grinned that same sneaky grin again. He moved his hands to Adam’s sides and squeezed gently.

Adam offered a small smile. He wasn’t sure if that had been an answer or— 

“Oh!” Adam yelped as Nigel lifted him off the floor. Then, Adam was flying through the air before he landed softly on the bed. “Nigel! What are you—” He was cut off by his own shriek as Nigel lunged for the bed, pouncing on top of Adam.

Adam giggled, rolling onto his side and curling up. Nigel tickled his side and back, and Adam squirmed helplessly. “Stop! Nigel! No!” He laughed hard, fruitlessly swatting at Nigel’s hands until Nigel decided to show him mercy.

Nigel laughed loudly as Adam panted on the bed. Nigel braced his hands on the bed on either side of Adam, holding himself up above him. He smiled and bent down, kissing Adam on the cheek.

Adam rolled onto his back, still trapped beneath Nigel. But he didn’t care. He smiled up at Nigel and placed his hands on the older man’s sides. He squeezed the small love handles and quietly said, “I love you.”

Nigel inhaled sharply as his smile disappeared.

Adam felt his mouth and throat go dry. His eyes widened as he stared up at Nigel. He hadn’t meant to say it. It had just come out. But he knew he had meant it. He had never said it to Nigel before, but he had felt it. And their breakup had certainly made everything clearer for Adam. He loved Nigel. And now Nigel knew it.

Adam chewed his lip, wondering how Nigel was going to react. Would he say it back? Would he thank Adam but not offer those words himself? Would he get nervous or uncomfortable? Would he want to leave?

_Would their night be ruined?_

Nigel slowly sat back, straddling Adam’s thighs. After a few moments, he moved off of Adam, kneeling on the bed beside him. Adam watched him closely, feeling his stomach churn as he waited for some kind of response. He knew that Nigel might not be ready to say those words yet, but Adam hoped for _some_ kind of reaction.

Then, slowly, a smile spread across Nigel’s face. He held out a hand and said, “Come here.”

Adam looked at his hand. He took it and sat up beside Nigel.

“While we were apart, I was devastated.”

Adam watched him closely. He had been devastated as well, but he didn’t want to interrupt. He was curious – almost desperate – to hear where Nigel was headed with his story.

“I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t want to do anything fun. I felt like a complete drone at work.”

Adam nodded. He had felt similar.

“I could eat,” Nigel said with a smirk. “Which I did a lot. Too much, I’m sure. But even that was just a way to deal with the breakup. Everything else just went away. All I thought about was you.” He gently rubbed the back of Adam’s hand with his thumb. “I just wanted you back.”

Adam looked down at their intertwined hands.

“Despite my fuckup that night three weeks ago, I am a better person now. You make me _want_ to be a better person, Adam. I can’t believe I’m saying something as fucking cliché as that, but there it is. And it’s the truth.”

Adam smiled. Nigel’s swearing mixed with a heartfelt sentiment was something that seemed very familiar to him.

“In all honesty, I’d been a little nervous about this day. About falling in love. Of getting close to someone. Truly close. In a way, I’ve never been close with anyone else in my whole life. But…”

Adam swallowed thickly, trying to control the frown that threatened to overtake his face. “But?” he whispered.

“But while we were apart, I realized that it had already happened. I had already gotten close. I had already—” Nigel smiled an odd smile and dropped his gaze, exhaling what sounded like a nervous laugh.

Adam squeezed his hand gently.

Nigel took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. After several moments – several long, nerve-wracking moments for Adam – he finally looked up again. His eyes looked misty as he whispered, “I had already fallen in love.” His voice caught in such a way that made the statement sound completely genuine and vulnerable in the most attractive way.

Adam smiled broadly. “Really?”

Nigel nodded, smiling gently.

Adam shifted on the comforter and pulled Nigel into a hug, nuzzling against the side of his neck.

Nigel wrapped his arms around Adam, holding him tightly. Adam felt Nigel’s chest expand as he took a deep breath. Then, the older man pulled back just enough so that they could look at each other.

“I love you too, Adam.”

Adam beamed.

Nigel smiled, light reflecting off the swell of tears in his eyes. He leaned in and gently kissed Adam on the mouth.

Adam returned the kiss, softly rubbing Nigel’s sides.

After a few minutes, Adam pulled back and squeezed Nigel’s waist. “I really do like this.”

Nigel chuckled. “I’m starting to believe you.”

Adam giggled. “Good.” He squeezed again, getting two small handfuls of the added weight. “You must have eaten _a lot_ while we were apart.”

Nigel shook his head and laughed. “You have no idea.”

Adam grinned. “I have a little bit of an idea.” He pinched the moderate layer of chub on Nigel’s belly.

Nigel chuckled. “Yes, I suppose you do.”

“So, our breakup was good for something, then.”

Nigel smiled, lifting a hand to gently caress Adam’s cheek. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yes,” Adam said, nodding. “We both realized how much we care for each other.” He paused. Then, smiling, he said, “How much we _love_ each other.” He giggled softly. “And it also led to you putting on weight.”

Nigel snorted. “Well, the first part was good, anyway.”

“No, they are both good! I love your chub!” Adam squeezed a small handful below Nigel’s navel.

Nigel laughed. “Okay, okay. I get it.”

Adam grinned. “Good.” Then, he pounced on Nigel as the older man made a show of falling backwards and being pinned down. Adam giggled as he straddled Nigel’s thicker waist and pinned his wrists to the bed. “You’re mine now.”

Nigel smiled up at him. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”


	13. Stars Realigned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nigel & Adam awaken the next morning & happily discuss their mended relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter!!!

Nigel awoke later than usual. He blinked the sleep from his eyes and glanced around the room. It took him a split second to remember where he was, and then he smiled so widely that his cheeks ached. He turned his head to look at Adam who was curled up beneath the blankets, on his side, facing Nigel with his eyes closed. Nigel had pushed the blankets down to his waist, and Adam’s hand was resting on Nigel’s bare belly.

He gently rubbed the back of Adam’s hand. It was Sunday morning and he had no desire to get up. Not if it meant leaving his puppy alone in bed.

The past few weeks had been incredibly rough for both of them. Nigel hated that they had lost that time apart, but he was thrilled that they had gotten back together as quickly as they had.

Nigel took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “I never want us to be apart again,” he whispered.

Adam’s eyes fluttered open. He blinked a few times and then looked up at Nigel and smiled broadly. “Hi.”

Nigel grinned. “Hi, yourself.”

Adam nuzzled closer to Nigel, nestling perfectly against his side. He rubbed Nigel’s belly and then slid his hand to Nigel’s side, squeezing him in a one-armed hug.

Nigel smiled. “Sleep well?”

Adam nodded against his shoulder. “Did you?”

“Yep. Probably one of the best sleeps of my life.”

Adam looked up at him again, his eyes still droopy with sleep. “Really?”

“Yes.” Nigel wrapped his arm around Adam and squeezed him tightly.

Adam beamed, and Nigel leaned down to kiss him gently on the top of his head. They nestled down again, snuggling comfortably in each other’s arms.

Adam let out a soft sigh a few minutes later.

“Something wrong?” Nigel asked, rubbing Adam’s arm that was draped over Nigel’s stomach.

“No, not at all.”

“Okay, good.”

“I was just thinking.”

“Yeah? About what?”

“I don’t want to be apart from you ever again either.”

Nigel grinned. “You heard that, huh?”

Adam looked up at him and smiled. “Yes. Did you not mean for me to?”

Nigel shrugged a shoulder. “I thought you were sleeping. I was just thinking out loud.”

“But you meant it, right?” Adam asked, his smile fading slightly.

Nigel rubbed Adam’s back. “Of course I meant it.”

Adam’s wide smile returned. “Good.” He moved his hand again to Nigel’s belly, rubbing in a soothing manner.

Nigel inhaled deeply and stretched a little. “That feels great.”

Adam giggled. “Yes, it does.”

Nigel chuckled. “So, we’ve agreed then, yes?”

“To what?”

“That we are better together than apart.”

Adam nodded. “Definitely.”

“And we tried the whole breakup thing, and it just didn’t work.”

Adam smiled. “No. Breaking up is not for us.”

“Good.” Nigel grinned. “So, the next time we have a big fight…”

“We will stay together no matter how mad we are at each other.”

Nigel laughed loudly. “Yep. We’re staying together whether we like it or not.”

Adam giggled again. “Well, I will certainly like it.”

“So will I, love.”

Adam lightly pinched a bit of pudge below Nigel’s navel. “And you’re keeping this, right?”

Nigel snorted. “Only if you want me to.”

Adam beamed. “I do.” He squeezed the pudge a little more tightly. Then, he smoothed his hand over Nigel’s belly and rubbed gently. “I love it.”

Nigel smiled. “Thanks, darling.”

“So,” Adam said after a few moments, dragging out the word.

“So, what?”

“You didn’t answer me.”

“Yes, love,” Nigel said with a smirk. “I’ll keep it.”

Adam grinned. “Great!”

Nigel chuckled, wrapping both arms around his puppy and squeezing tightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there it is. The End. I hope you enjoyed this story & have been enjoying this series as a whole. I will continue to write more SpaceDogs fics for this 'verse because I can't get enough of these boys myself. XD
> 
> Thanks to everyone who stuck by this story to the very end! :D Also, extra thanks to those who left kudos & comments! I appreciate them all so very much! <333


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